FAMILIES AND GENERA OF THE MADEEPOEARIA. 



117 



Milne-Edwards and Jules Haime introduced a subfamily of 

 Astrseidse to^receive the genus Echinopora, Lamarck and Dana. 

 Yerrill lias shown that this genus is not homogeneous, and that 

 some species should be associated with the family Fungidse, and 

 one with the Astrseidse proper. 



The following is the diagnosis of Dana as given by Milne- 

 Edwards and Jules Haime, in whose work the early synonymy 

 is given. 



Genus Echinopoea (pars), Dana, Wilhes Exploring Expedition, 

 Zoophytes, p. 278 (1846). 



The colony is thin, adhering in the middle, and extend- 

 ing on all sides in foliaceous laminse which are ordinarily lobed. 

 The common plateau is costulate radially, and has a rudimentary 

 epitheca. Corallites very short and greatly spined, united by an 

 echinulate coenenchyma. The calicular margins have the shape 

 of circular and more or less projecting bourrelets. The free 

 edges of the septa are very spined, the strongest teeth being 

 near the columella, where they frequently simulate pali. Colu- 

 mella spongy. Endotheca slightly developed. 



Distrihution. — Fossil. Miocene : Sind, Asia. — Becent. Indian 

 Ocean, Indo-Pacific, Red Sea. — Siibfossil. Eed Sea. 



This diagnosis still holds good for some species which should, 

 however, enter the Astrseidse. 



But Echinopora aspera, Ellis & Solander, has been shown by 

 Yerrill to belong to the Eungidse ; and he has established the genus 

 Trachypora for it. It appears that this name had been already 

 applied to other forms before Yerrill gave it ; and Klunzinger 

 suggests the name EchinopliylUa instead. Echinopora horrida, 

 Dana, which Milne-Edwards and Jules Haime state to be a 

 dendroid variety of Echinopora hirsutissima, Ed. & H., 1850, 

 has been made the type of the genus Acanthopora, Yerrill, 

 because its polyps differ from those of other Echinoporce, and 

 because the calices become filled up as in Oculina. 



G-enus Acanthopora, Fer^^7Z, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. Camh. Mass. 

 1864, No. 3, p. 54. 



Colony ramose, solid, the cells being filled as in Oculina. 

 Costse represented by series of spines. 



This short diagnosis hardly suffices. The corallites are short, 

 having the shape of large and strongly spined button-shaped 

 prominences. Costse very thick, subequal, separated by deep 



