96 
Fig. 89. Aphanipathes can- 
cellata Brook. Spines: 52 X- 
plane is inserted at an angle of over 6o°. — The polyps are dried to an unrecognisable layer. 
The spines (fig. 89), on the younger parts of the ultimate branches, are 
conical with a rather blunt apex, slightly distally inclined or nearly at 
right angles with the axis. Their length is 70 p., sub-equal on all sides 
of the axis: they are arranged in 5 — 6 longitudinal rows, which sometimes 
are rather irregular so that a quincunx is not always clearly visible ; 
however there is usually a straight quincunx. The mutual distance in a row is 230—240 p.. 
The surface of the spines is only very slightly granulated. — On the older parts of the ultimate 
branches, and on all other branches the spines are always inserted at right angles with the 
axis, while their surface is entirely smooth or only slightly granulated. Their mutual distance 
is somewhat lessened (200 p.). 
The mode of branching leaves no doubt about the identification of this, specimen with 
Brook's Aphanipathes cancellata. However the spines are slightly divergent; in Brook’s specimen 
they are sharper, while their surface is covered with small sharp-pointed processes almost to 
their base. The number of rows. (6) is the same; their dimensions are rather divergent; from 
Brook’s figures I deduce a length of 200 u. and a mutual distance of nearly 400 p.. But in 
view of the great variability of this characters in other species and genera I dare not keep 
this specimen apart on ground of these differences. 
Even if Brook’s dimensions of the spines are right, this Aphanipathes-species is a doubtful 
one, since the polyps, figured by Brook, are only in a slight degree perforated by the spines; 
probably this form is a transition between the two sub-genera Aphanipathes and Euantipathes , 
just like Aphanipathes pennacea (Pall.) Brook. — Forster-Cooper’s Aphd hancocki which, 
according to this author, approaches Aph. cancellata closely in method of growth, differs from 
it in having smoother and longer spines, but in view of the slightly granulated spines of the 
Siboga-specimen, which are intermediate between Brook’s species and F. Cooper’s species, I 
am of opinion that this slight difference is not great enough to keep both species apart. 
Former habitat. Brook 5 0 49' i 5" S., i 32 0 14" i 5" E., 140 fm.; F. Cooper Salomon 
Atoll (Chagos) 75 fm. 
Parantipathes (Brook) emend. 
1. Parantipathes cohnnnaris (Duch.) Brook. 
Parantipathes ? colnmnaris (Duch.). BROOK, Antipatharia, Chall. Rep., p. 145; SlLBERFELD, 
Japanische Antipatharien, p. 28. 
Arachnopathes colnmnaris Duch. DUCHASSAING, Rev. d. Zooph. e. d. Spong. d. Antilles, p. 23. 
Antipathes cohunnaris Pourt. PoURTALES, Cat. Mus. Comp. Zook, pt. VIII, 1874; pi. IX, fig. 8; 
Bulk Mus. Comp. Zook 1878, p. 209; 1880, p. 117, pi. III, fig. 3. 
Stat. 262. 5°53 .8S., I32°48.8E. Between Kei-islands. 560 M. Solid bluish grey mud. 1 spec. 
Stat. 267. 5 0 54 S., I32°56'.7E. Arafura-sea. 984 M. Grey mud. 2 spec. 
One of the specimens of station 267 is 15.5 cm. long; the first 3 cm. of the stem are 
cohered with broken stumps: the basal fixation is missing. The rest of the axis is densely 
branched. The length of the branches is subequal (max. 1.4 cm.) except in the basal- and the 
