74 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.43. 



ACANTHOGORGIA PARADOXA, new species. 



Plate 11, figs. 2, 2a; plate 20, fig. 1. 



Colony (fragmentary) irregular, 5.5 cm. in height and with a 

 spread of 2.8 cm. The main stem is but 9 mm. long. Immediately 

 above the base it gives off 2 short stubs of branches, 1.8 cm. above this 

 a forked lateral branch is produced, and about 6 mm. above this lat- 

 ter is a branch bearing 2 laterals which are on opposite sides. The 

 calyces are thickly emplanted on all sides of the stem and branches, 

 there sometimes being irregular whorls of about 5, although no 

 regular arrangement is discernible. 



The individual calyces are strictly colunmar in shape and attain 

 a height of 3 mm. and a diameter of 1.3 mm. The margin is sur- 

 rounded by a crown of spicules consisting of an irregular number of 

 sharp points projecting upward and outward. Within the crown 

 are a number of other similar points bending over the tentacle bases. 

 The spiculation of the calyx walls is unique in the genus Acanthogorgia. 

 Their surface is covered by a layer of vertical and parallel spindles 

 many of which extend straight from base to crown, their proximal 

 ends even bending and extending for some distance over the coenen- 

 chyma surrounding the calyces. Some of these spindles are nearly 

 . 3 mm. long. Inside of these and occasionally showing between 

 them are a number of much smaUer spindles which, at least near the 

 distal ends of the calyces, show the en chevron arrangement character- 

 istic of the genus. 



Spicules : The crown spicules are of the regular acanthogorgian type, 

 attaining a length of nearly 3 mm. The proximal immersed por- 

 tion is proportionally larger than in the last species and densely tuber- 

 culate, and the distal part has a few distant points and is not so 

 smooth as in the last. The spicules of the outer layer of the calyces 

 and branches are coarse, short, often bent, densely tuberculate 

 spindles sometimes 3 mm. long. Besides these there are the much 

 smaller spmdles of the inner layer. 



Color: The whole colony is a rather light, clear tan-brown. 



Localities.— Stsition 4890; Ose Saki Light, N. 2° W., 10 miles; 

 135 fathoms (type). Station 4894; Ose Saki Light, N. 41° E., 5 

 miles; 95 fathoms. Station 5070; Ose Saki, S. 8° W., 1.8 miles; 108 

 fathoms (fragment). 



Type-specimen.— Ca,t. No. 30035, U.S.N.M. 



This form may need a new genus to include it; but as it substantially 

 agrees with the definition given for Acanthogorgia, it is thought best 

 to place it here. 



