Asterospicularia laurae — Utinomi 
195 
the most important diagnostic characters of 
the group Alcyonaria, with the one exception 
of Acrossota liposclera (cf. Kiikenthal, 1924). 
A remarkable pinnule-less alcyonarian, first re- 
corded from Amboina by Burchardt (1898) as 
Clavularia amhoinensis, was, in fact, an 
Anthelia. A second species, Acrossota liposclera 
described by Bourne (1914) as a new genus 
and new species, is, according to Thomson 
and Dean (1931), probably identical with Bur- 
chardt’s C amhoinensts. In some alcyonarians 
— e.g., F achy clavularia erecta^ Cespitularia stolo- 
nifera, and others— examined by early authors 
and also by me, there are often found 
some highly contracted tentacles seemingly 
devoid of pinnules (cf. Thomson and Dean 
1931: 20; Gohar 1940^?: 5). It is possible that 
this condition is the result of bad preserva- 
tion and contraction. The present Astero- 
spicularia is obviously different from Pachy- 
clavularia, Cespitularia, and other xeniid speci- 
mens, as mentioned above. 
Taking into consideration all of the unique 
features of the specimen described above, it 
seems certain that it represents a new type of 
alcyonarian which shows a close affinity with 
the Alcyoniidae as well as with the Neph- 
thyidae; but it cannot to be included in either 
family. Moreover, it also demands a modifi- 
cation of the definition of the group Alcyo- 
naria or Octocorallia generally used in all 
handbooks and textbooks of zoology. Thus 
I think it necessary to erect a separate family, 
ASTEROSPICULARIIDAE, fot this Specialized 
form, which I propose to call Asterospicularia 
laurae,^ n. gen. et n. 'sp. 
The characteristics of the new family may 
be put down as follows : 
ASTEROSPICULARIIDAE n. fam. 
Fleshy Alcyonaria of bushy growth type, 
with mushroom-like, polyp-bearing lobes and 
a sterile common stalk. Polyps of similar size 
non-retractile and protected by uniform 
spiculation continued from coenenchyma. 
The specific name is chosen in honor of Mrs. Laura 
M. I. Macfadyen, who first recorded this form. 
Coenenchyma rather thick between polyp 
cavities and formed of highly honeycombed 
mesogloea which contains one or more stel- 
late spicules in each cavity. Polyp cavities 
united together by means of well- developed 
endodermal cell-strings or solenia running in 
mesogloeal partitions between spicular cavi- 
ties. No dimorphism of polyps. Tentacles 
highly contractile, with no trace of pinnules. 
TYPE: Asterospicularia laurae, n. gen. et 
n. sp. 
REFERENCES 
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