

's RIJKS MUSEUM VAN NATUURLIJKE HISTORIE — LEIDEN. 65 



VIII. — A NEW SPECIES OF FUNGIA. 



BY Dr. C. J. VAN DER HORST. — (WITH PLATE I). 



Among the Fungid corals, which Dr. van Oort, the director of the 

 Leyden Museum, has put at my disposal to examine, for which I feel 

 extremely grateful, there were two specimens, which differ so much from 

 all previously recorded forms, that I have no hesitation in describing 

 them as a new species. 



Fungia moluccensis nov. spec. 



Corallum oval in shape, heavy ; wall with a few slits near the peri- 

 phery, otherwise solid, aboral surface concave. Margin of the corallum 

 rounded. Upper surface much arched round the axial fossa, at the edge 

 equally thick. Central area of the under surface densely granulated. Ribs 

 only distinct at the periphery, unequal. The larger ones extend farther 

 to the centrum ; in the central area they continue for some distance like 

 rows of granulations. All ribbs are densely granulated and provided with 

 short irregular spines. 



Septa unequal, those of the higher cycles fuse together. The smaller 

 septa with minute teeth, between which deep, often overbridged incisions. 

 Edges of the larger septa irregular, very densely granulated. Therefore 

 these septa seem thicker than they are in reality. The sides of the septa 

 do not show many granulations. 



I have before me two specimens of these species. One was collected 

 by Mr. Reinwardt in the Moluccas, the origin of the other is unknown. 



Dimensions of the specimens in mm. 



locality length 



breadth 



height 



thickness 

 round the 

 axial fossa 



thickness 



at the 



edge 



length of a? 



Moluccas 106 



92 



47 



29 



13 



25 



unknown 150 



108 



55 



35 



15 



40 



In the large specimen the thicker ribs are more prominent than in 

 the other. 



This species greatly resembles Fungia oahensis Död. '), but differs from 

 it in the absence of the swellings in the central area of the under sur- 

 face and in the unequality of the septa and ribs. Vaughan's figure of 

 Fungia granulosa 2 ) strongly resembles my specimen of unknown origin. 

 But I have also an undeniable specimen of F. granulosa before me, and 

 the difference between the two is too striking to leave any doubt. 



The specimen of the Moluccas shows on the upper surface two little 

 secundary calicles. 



1) Döderlein. Die Korallengattung Fungia, 1902. 



2) Vauglian. Three new Fungiae. Proc, U.S. Nat. Mus. 1906. 



