X, D, 1 Light: Philippine Alcyonaria, III 3 



species of these two genera it is necessary to adhere strictly 

 to the generic definition, which makes it impossible for any 

 species having a Stutzbiindel to belong to the genus Litho- 

 phytum. Further a colony must be considered as having Stiitz- 

 biindel if any of its polyps show on their abaxial surfaces an 

 arrangement of one or more spicules, usually larger than those 

 of the rest of the polyp, in the form of a median longitudinal 

 bundle, which may or may not project beyond the surface of the 

 polyp. The reason for this will be clear to anyone who has 

 studied the stormy history of the genus Ammothea, now Litho- 

 phytum, and of the genera Nephthya and Dendronephthya 

 (formerly Spongodes) and has seen the almost endless variety 

 of intergrading forms. Any definition of a Stiitzbiindel which 

 leaves it to the opinion of the individual as to just when such 

 a spicule arrangement becomes a "Stiitzbiindel" will lead to 

 confusion in determining whether or not one of these forms 

 belongs to Nephthya or to Lithophytum. This matter has been 

 admirably summed up by Shann (1912). 



While it is necessary for the reasons given above and in view 

 of our present knowledge — or rather lack of knowledge — of the 

 finer structure of the species of these genera to adhere, for the 

 present at least, to what seems to be an artificial division of the 

 species, it is to be earnestly hoped that other and more natural 

 generic characters may be found on which the separation of the 

 species of Nephthya and Lithophytum may be based. 



Until the present time no species of Lithophytum has been 

 reported from the Philippines. This is another instance of the 

 lack of knowledge of the Philippine Alcyonaria and particularly 

 of the reef forms, which is so strikingly apparent in a review of 

 the literature of the subject. The only extensive collection of 

 Philippine Alcyonaria which has been reported on is the one 

 made by the Challenger, and that is surprisingly lacking in reef 

 forms. The collection made by the Albatross in Philippine wa- 

 ters from 1908 to 1910 has not been reported, but it is very 

 unlikely that it will contain any large number of reef forms. It 

 is not surprising, therefore, that the two species of Lithophytum, 

 in our collection are new to science. 



Lithophytum philippinensis sp. nov. Plate I and text figure 1. 



The very long, flaccid, bushy or treelike colony, which reaches 

 a height of from 200 to 300 millimeters, arises from a narrow 

 base. The longitudinal lines marking the lines of junction of 

 the outer canal walls and the stem cortex are especially distinct 

 in the branches where the cortex is transparent. The colony 



