22 G Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-1918 



Gersemia carnea (Ag.j Verrill. 



HaJcyonium carneiini L. Agassiz, Proc. Amer. Assoc. Adv. Sci., 1850, p. 209. 



Alcyoidum carneum Verrill, Bull. Alus. Comp. Zool., Vol. 1, page 39, Jan. 1864; 

 " Revision Polyps E. Coast U.S. Mem. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. Vol. 1, p. 4, 

 1864; Invert" Vineyard Sound, pp. 203 (497), 443 (737), pi. 38, fig. 283, 

 1873 (Polyps): Ann. Rep. U.S. Fish Comm., 1883, p. 533: Expl. Casco Bay, 

 Proc. Amer. Assoc. Adv. Sci., Vol. for 1873, p. 364, pi. VI, fig. 4 (Polyps); 

 Webster's International Dictionar\', p. 37 (figure from life). 



Plate IV; Fig. 1 (general). Figs. 2, 3 (spicules). Plate XI; Fig. I. 



This elegant species is common from the gulf of St. Lawrence to southern 

 New England, both in shallow water and down to 40 to 50 fathoms 



Although very distinct from G. rubiforrnis it has often been confused with 

 that species, especially when its colour is pink or pale red. Usually while living 

 its colour is pale flesh colour or salmon colour, but it is often light orange or 

 pale red. It grows to considerable size, up to 120 mm. high, or more, and is 

 then much branched (see PL XI). When fully expanded it is translucent and 

 very elegant in appearance (PI. IV, fig. 1). The tips of its slender branches 

 are covered with the delicate and almost transparent polyps, in small clusters, 

 and the yellow or orange eggs can be seen in the tubes of the branches and 

 trunk through the integument. In contraction, the branches become short 

 with round or clavate tips, but it does not have a dense coating of spicules, 

 like the other two species already described. Consequently it is much softer, 

 smoother and more translucent. It is often much more branched than the 

 specimen figured on PI. IV, which was less than half grown. It was photo- 

 graphed while living and fullj^ expanded in a small plate glass aquarium. An 

 example of muisually large size is figured on PI. XI, from an alcoholic specimen. 



The spicules of this species are smaller than in the preceding species, and 

 though somewhat similar in general appearance, their forms are characteristic 

 (PI. IV, fig. 2). The larger ones of the stalks and branches are partly small 

 short double-heads, "dumb-bells" or double clubs (fig. 2, i-k) with very prom- 

 inent ornamented processes or warts, as in i, j, which are unusually large forms, 

 or in the form of acute spindles, as in g, h; most however are more irregular and 

 smaller, with relatively large projections (1-p), in popped-corn shapes, as seen 

 enlarged 140 diameters. Under lower powers of the microscope many of the 

 smaller of the sjjicules appear like small stellate forms, especially when viewed 

 endwise, like q, r, s. 



The polyps are long and prominent in expansion, but they are very contrac- 

 tile. They are able to retract entirely, but usually leave the anthocodia exposed 

 when preserved in alcohol. The anthocodia is covered with abundant elongated 

 slender warted spindles, some of which are bent, but usually there are some 

 sub-clavate forms, or even branched forms; the base of the anthocodia contains 

 a wreath of similar spicules placed nearly transversely; the proximal part of 

 the polyp in preserved specimens is smaller, wrinkled and usuallj^ has few 

 small transverse spicules or none. The tentacles contain slender, irregular 

 spindles, with rod-like and clavate shapes and other small forms; pinufe usually 

 have no spicules. 



In the anthocodia the slender spicules are rather uniform in size and they 

 are arranged in chevrons, pretty regularly, in eight double rows becoming obliqueh- 

 transverse and forming a wreath where the mesenterial body-column begins. 

 The walls of the proximal part of the polyp or mesenterial region is ncarlv 

 destitute of spicules; when any occur they are small slender rods and spindles, 

 decidedly smaller than those of the anthocodia. In preserved specimens it 

 often happens that this more flexible part is withdrawn and the anthocodia 



