iSiMPSON — A llcciniun of the (JDiijoiidlidae. 2i>7 



In 187S, Studer still furUier advanced Kolliker's contrilmtinn, and noted 

 that when one investigated the spicules of the various species in the family, 

 one found two definite groups : — 



(1) Those with an outer layer of clubs and an inner layer of douhlc-cluhs ; 



and 



(2) Those with only douhlc-cluhs and spindles. 



The latter group he again sub-divided on the basis of the nature of the 

 verrucae. His classification would appear thus : — 



(1) Spicules, clubs, and double-clubs, Juncella. 



(2) Spicules, double-clubs, and spindles — 



A. Calyces not prominent, Ellisella. 



B. Calyces markedly projecting, Seirpearia. 



Juncella. — Colony simple or forked ; verrucae club-shaped, prominent or 

 otherwise. In the coenenchyma, an outer layer of clubs and an inner layer 

 of double-clubs. J. juncea, J. gemmacea, J. Jlcvilis nov. 



Ellisella. — Colony simple or forked. Verrucae hardly projecting, in 

 two rows on the sides of the stem and branches. In the coenenchyma only 

 double-clubs and spindles. U. maculata nov., E. calamus nov. 



SciKPEAKiA (including Niceila, Eaynerella, and Viminella). — Colony simple 

 or branched. Axis cylindrical, calcareous, and horny. Coenenchyma thin, 

 with prominent polyps, which are disposed in two rows on the sides of the 

 stem and branches. Spicules, double-clubs, and spindles. S. miralilis, 

 S. Jlagellum (= J. cxtans and V. flafjcllam). 



Note. — Studer includes in Scii'pearia Nkclla mauritiana, and says that 

 the only type of spicule in this species is " spindles thickly covered with 

 warts." Ridley, however, doubts whether the specimen examined by Studer 

 was really iV. maiu-itiana. This is extremely probable in view of tlie fact 

 that iV. dicJwtovm (which is a synonym of iV. maaritiaiu'.) contains both 

 double-clubs and spindles. (See subsequent discussion of this species.) 



Wright and Studer (L.) united all these genera under the family Gorgo- 

 nellidae, which they placed in the Holaxonia, near the Gorgonidae and 

 Plexauridae. At the same time, they, while recognizing Juncella, Xicella, 

 Ctenocella, Seirpearia, and Ellisella, established a new genus under the name 

 of Scirpearella, which they defined thus : — " Colony simple or very feebly 

 branched. Axis calcareous, brittle, smooth, or grooved. Polyps arranged in 

 rows or spirals, retractile, witli more or less prominent verrucae. The 

 coenenchyma is moderately thick and finely granular. The spicules are 

 spiny spindles and double-clubs." 



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