6*2 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



VI. — On a new Pseudaxonid Genus — Dendrogorgia. By Jas. J. 

 Simpson, M.A., B.Sc, Carnegie Research Fellow, University of Aberdeen. 



(Read 20th December 1909. Received 20th December 1909.) 



In 1900 Professor Hickson {Marine Investigations in South Africa — The 

 Alcyonaria a.nd Hydrocorallina', p. 85) described two specimens under the 

 name of Juncella elongata (Pallas), with the following observations : — 



" Owing to the very imperfect state of our knowledge of the Juncella 

 group of Alcyonarians, I have considerable hesitation in naming the two 

 specimens of the genus sent to me from the Cape. . . . One of the most 

 characteristic features of the specimen is the great preponderance of triple- 

 star spicules 0'07 mm. in length, but there are also many spicules of the 

 shapes known as double-stars, warted spindles, etc. There are very few 

 spicules of the club-shape which are so characteristic of the species J.juncea 

 and J. gemmacea." 



The specimens were dredged at Kij Bank, off Algoa Bay, long. 25° 51' 30" 

 K, lat. 33° 58" S. Depth— 25 fathoms. Bottom— dark sand. 



In 1904 (Alcyonaria of the Gape of Good Hope, part ii., p. 233), while 

 admitting that the triple-stars might be regarded as a character sufficient to 

 distinguish these specimens as a distinct species, Professor Hickson refrained 

 from doing so, but renamed them Juncella elongata (Pall.) var. capensis. 



Professor Hickson very kindly sent me a small portion of one of his 

 specimens along with various Juncellids, and later, Professor Thomson placed 

 a magnificent specimen, identical with the type, at my disposal. The latter 

 specimen was also found at the Cape. 



Owing to the inadequate descriptions of Juncella elongata very diverse 

 forms have been, from time to time, ascribed to it, but an investigation of the 

 spicules hitherto undescribed, has shown that the specimens under considera- 

 tion — Professor Hickson's and ours- — cannot be referred to the genus 

 Juncella. In fact the specimens do not belong to the Juucellids at all. 



Before entering into a discussion of the systematic position of our 

 specimen, we shall give a short description supplementary to that which 

 Professor Hickson gave of those specimens which he referred to Juncella 

 elon/jata (Pallas) var. capensis, n. 



Dendrogorgia capensis, n. gen. et sp. 



A beautiful specimen of a deep-red colour (Fig. 1), massive in appearance, 

 and branched openly in one plane in what is evidently a false dictotomy. 



