274 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Family IV. C0RALLID4L 
1. Corallium Lamarck. 2. Pleurocomllinm Gray. 
The genera of this family are closely related to those of the preceding family and have not been 
found in West Indian waters. 
Family V. DASYG0RGID4E. 
1. Strophogorgia W right. 3. Dasygorgia Verrill. 5. Ilerophila Steenstrup. 
2. Iridogorgia Verrill. 4. Chrysogorgia Duch. & Mich. 6. Lepidogorgia Verrill. 
1. Strophogorgia. Colony simple, unbranched, erect or creeping. Axis horny and calcareous, iride- 
scent. Base calcareous. Polyps prominent, stalked or sessile, disposed in a uniserial 
manner on stem. Ccenechyma sometimes very thin with few spicules, sometimes mem- 
braneous with numerous spicules. 
2. Iridogorgia. Colony consists of a main stem arising from a calcareous base. Axis horny, iridescent. 
Branches arise in an ascending spiral. Polyps large, perpendicular to stem or directed 
obliquely toward apex of stem, placed at Avide intervals. Ccenenchyma thin, containing 
transparent spindles or scales, Avhich are smooth or finely warty. 
3. Dasygorgia. Colony a main axis with spirally disposed branches. Axis and base as in preceding 
genus. Polyps large, generally perpendicular to stems, not retractile, placed at ivide 
intervals; seldom more than two on one node. Last polyp never terminal. Spicules in 
two layers. Scale-like, smooth or slightly dentate at the margins. 
4. Chrysogorgia. Colony and axis very similar to preceding genus. Polyps narrowed at base and 
covered by long, spiny spicules, those at base of polyps being placed somewhat transversely. 
5. Heropiiila. Colony branched. Axis and base as above. Polyps, club-shaped, arise near ends of 
short twigs, beyond which projects a short, blunt stolon. Spicules are small warty spindles. 
6. Lepidogorgia. Colony a simple, tall, unbranched stem. Axis iridescent. Root divided into many 
divergent branches. Polyps large, prominent, directed obliquely upward, secund and far 
apart on the stem, which is covered by a thin layer of small oblong scales. 
Family VI. ISIILE. 
Of the eleven genera of this family, six are found in the north Atlantic, though not all have been 
reported from the West Indies. 
1. Bathygorgia Wright. 
2. Ceratoisis Wright. 
3. Lepidisis Verrill. 
4. Callisis Verrill. 
5. Acanella Gray. 
6. Isidella Gray. 
7. Sclerisis Studer. 
8. Primnoisis Wright & Studer 
9. Mopsea Lamarck. 
10. Acanthoisis Wright & Studer. 
11. Isis Linnaeus. 
2. Ceratoisis. Colony branched simply or not at all from calcareous internodes. Nodes horny, 
internodes calcareous and hollow in young specimens, becoming solid in older specimens. 
Base calcareous. Polyps large and prominent, with defensive calyx formed of eight large 
fusiform spicules starting below tentacles, scattered or arranged in a uniserial manner. 
Ccenenchyma thin and membranous, sometimes without spicules. Spicules fusiform or 
lenticular, or both. 
Lepidisis. Colony simple or branched. Branches when present arise from horny nodes. Axis 
consists of long, solid or tubular calcareous internodes and short, horny nodes. Base with 
root-like projections. Polyps large. Ccenenchyma includes an outer layer of small, 
elongated scale-like spicules, with sometimes a few fusiform spicules beneath them. 
4. Callisis. Colony branched from the calcareous internodes, which may be solid or very slightly 
hollow. Polyps short and contain spindle-shaped spicules. Ccenenchyma contains many 
flat scales. This genus, according to Wright & Studer, may be equivalent to Ceratoisis. 
5. Acanella. Colony simple or branched. Branches when present arise in twos or threes from 
horny nodes. Axis as in Lepidisis. Polyps prominent, with numerous fusiform spicules, 
sometimes bent or twisted. Ccenenchyma thin. Tentacles imperfectly retractile. 
