228 K. KINOSHITA : ON THE KEROEIDID-ffi, A NEW FAMILY OF 



ty can not be entirely excluded that there remain somewhere In the 

 mcsoglœa, undegerierated epithelium fragments which at times may 

 resume secretory activity. 



As before stated, genus Ke~ AxenepUhel" 



rocides is no true Scleraxonian ; 

 it must be removed into the 

 order Gorgonacca. Since now 

 all the known Gorgonians' arc in 

 possession of an axis, which, 

 whether calcified or not, is the 

 secretory product of AxencpitJicl, 

 the present genus must be said 

 to occupy an isolated position 

 in the group. The genus may 

 therefore be made to represent 

 a special family, the Keroeididse, 

 with the following diagnosis :■ — ■ 

 Colony erect ; axis 



rigid, consisting of a 



central cord and of a 



cortical layer composed 



of smooth spicules con- 

 glomerated together 



by a horny matrix ; 



AxenepUhel enepithel remaining only at the tip of branches ; 



polyps retractile into more or less well-developed calyces ; 



spicules not seal)'. 

 Whether or not the genus Dendrogorgia Simpson can really 

 be taken up in this family, can only be decided by reexamination of 

 the specimen representing it. 



Diagrams showing the general make-up of 

 the colonici of Keroeides (.1) and of hitherto 

 known Gorgonid species with continuous axis 

 {B). 



l) According to J. J. Simpson, the Juncellids seems to be in some relation with Subero 

 gorgiid«, the paper, in which the matter would b> discussed, is not yet accessible. 



