578 



ALCYONARIA. 



STUAET 0. EIDLET. 



The series of Aloyonaria collected in this district is small, but would 

 no doiibt, from what has been recorded from Mauritius by other 

 authors (e. g. by Stnder, Mobius, and myself), have .been largely in- 

 creased had time and apparatus for the investigation of depths 

 exceeding 30 fathoms been available. As wiU be seen below, the 

 Amirantes and outlying Mascarene localities supply most of the 

 species — a circumstance which is satisfactory, inasmuch as (with the 

 exceptioa of the Seychelles Islands, where Dr. E. P. Wright made 

 collections) the Alcyonaria of this part of the district have been 

 hitherto practically unknown. Two of the eight specie^ recorded 

 (viz. Spongodes studeri, n, sp., and Juncella gemmctcea) were obtained 

 by the 'Alert ' in, the Australian seas as well ; of the remainder, the 

 species of WrigJitella are probably confined to the Eed Sea and its 

 neighbourhood. The second new species {Muricea bifurcata) also 

 exhibits Australian affinities. 



Distribution, within that area, of Alcyonaria obtained in the Western 

 Indian Ocean. 



P^mily ALCYOSIIDM. 



1. Spongodt-s unioolor, Gray 



2. studeri, n. sp., Tar. Isevior i 



3. Nephtihya, sp. .v 



4. , sp 



Family PBIMNOID^. 



5. Muricea bifurcata, n. sp 



Family GOEGONELLID.S. 



6. Juncella gemmacea, M,-Edw. ^ Haime ,. 



Family MELITHjEID^. 



7. Wrightella chrysanthus, Gray 



8. coccinea, Gray 



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