THE STONY CORALS OF THE PORTO RICAN WATERS. 
293 
Genus CYATHOCERAS Moseley, 1881. 
Cyathoceras portoricensis, sp. now PI. n, flaw 1, la, 1 b, 1 r. 
Corallum attached by a fairly large base, from which arises a rather long, thick, stout, bent pedicel. 
Cal ice elliptical in cross section. Greater diameter of calice, 9.3 mm.; lesser diameter of calice, 7.5 
mm.; height of corallum, 22.5 mm.; greater distance across area of attachment, 7.5 mm. 
There is no distinguishable epithecal coat on the outside of the corallum. Costas correspond to all 
septa. Near the calice they are quite prominent and show three different sizes; a few millimeters 
below the calicular margin they are not prominent, being represented by granulations in rows very 
slightly or not elevated. The cycles of costae may be indistinct or those corresponding to the first and 
second cycles of septa may be somewhat larger than those corresponding to the third and fourth. 
There are four cycles of septa, in six systems. The members of the first and second cycles project 
considerably above the upper margin of the corallum wall, are nearly equal in size, those of the first 
cycle being slightly larger, and extend inward to the columella. The members of the third cycle are 
considerably smaller, and those of the fourth cycle are very small. The inner margins of the septa of 
these two cycles are free, i. e., no septal groups are formed. The septal margins are entire or micro- 
scopically dentate. The ornamentation of the septal faces consists of fine, more or less elevated strise, 
along which granulations arc arranged. The stria; diverge inwardly and outwardly from a vertical line 
corresponding in position with the wall. The striae on one side of a septal face alternate with those 
on the opposite side, thus giving the edge of the septum a transversely zigzag character. The 
granulations on the septal faces are low, and besides being placed along the striae are arranged in 
curves parallel to the septal margins. The inner margins of the septa fall perpendicularly to the 
bottom of the calice. There are no pali. No endotheca of any kind was observed, but the base of 
the corallum is filled up solidly with internal calcareous deposit. 
The calicular fossa is deep and narrow. The columella, which jorojects somewhat in the bottom 
of the fossa, is well developed, is compressed elliptical in transverse outline, spongy, and apparently 
essential. It appears to be made up of several twisted ascending trabeculae, that have fused one to 
another and to the inner ends of the first and second cycles of septa. 
From station 6051, off entrance to San Juan Harbor, Old Fort SW. $ IV., 1J- miles. Bathymetric 
occurrence, 43 fathoms; bottom, sand, mud, and shells. Type, No. 19633, U. S. Nat. Mus. 
I have been unable to find any description of a cora, corresponding to this in the literature on 
the recent deep-sea corals, and therefore propose a specific designation. In view of the great amount 
of study that has been put on the West Indian deep-sea species by such excellent workers as Pourtales 
and Moseley, it was a surprise to find a llew species in the Porto Rican collection. 
Moseley proposed the genus Cyathoceras for two species: C. cornu, from off the mouth of Rio de 
la Plata, 600 fathoms, and off Twofold Bay, New South Wales, 120 fathoms; and C. rubescens, off the 
Ki Islands, 129 fathoms. He remarks: “This genus is formed to receive two species which might 
be placed with Desmophyllum if they had not columellas in every respect resembling those of the 
Caryophyllias.” 1 Before the specimen above described was cleaned I thought it was a Desmophyllum, 
and before I discovered there were no pali I thought it was a Caryophyllia. The present species is so 
distinct from each of those described by Moseley that there is no need to point out specific differences. 
It resembles more closely C. rubescens than C. cornu, but C. rubescens possesses five cycles of septa 
besides other differences. 
I do not feel certain that Cyathoceras is entitled to hold rank as a good genus. It is extremely 
close to Ceratotrochus, as represented by C. duodecimcostatus (Goldfuss) , the difference between the two 
genera consisting in Ceratotrochus having a pointed or small base, whereas Cyathoceras possesses a rather 
large base. Even if they should be united, they may for the present be kept separate. 
Genus DELTOCYATHUS Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1848. 
Deltocyathus italicus (Michelotti). PI. i, rigs. 2, 2a. (Copied from Lindstrom). 
One dead, worn specimen of this species was obtained. It is the variety calcar of Pourtales, 
possessing six horns corresponding to the six primary septa. 1 2 
From station 6067, Mayaguez Harbor. Bathymetric occurrence, 97 to 120 fathoms. 
1 Deep-Sea Corals, Challenger Reports, Zool., vol. n, pt. vii, 1881, p. 156. 
2 Pourtal6s, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. vi, No. 4, 1880, p. 102, pi. I, fig, 5. Moseley, Deep-Sea Corals, Challenger 
Reports, p. 145, lower two figures, “Stellate variety of Pourtales.” 
