Genus Sympodium. 
1. Sympodutm coeruleum Ehrenberg. 
For description see: KLUNZINGER, Korallthiere des rothen Meeres, 1877, p. 42, 1 fig. 
Stat. 40. Kawassang. 12 M. Coral reef. 1 Ex. Fragments. 
Stat. 61. Lamakera, Solor. Reef. 1 Ex. 
Various rather dried portions of a bluish-green colony from Station 40, Kawassang, 
show small polyps arising from a basal membrane either singly or in small cushion-like groups. 
In most the tentacles are firmly contracted within the polyp, which appears as a low rounded 
swelling about 1 mm. in height and 1 mm. in breadth. The height of an expanded polyp is 
about 2.3 mm. but the specimens are obviously shrunken with drying. The short tentacles are 
stout straps, about 0.5 mm. long, bearing 2 rows of pinnules on each side, about 9 in a row. 
The calcareous bodies are small discs (very like those of a Xenia) which can be seen in 
abundance on the surface. 
A colony from Lamakera reef shows the polyps more definitely blue in colour, arising 
similarly singly, or occasionally in small cushions from the basal membrane. They are nearly 
all expanded and reach a maximum length of 4 mm. with an average breadth of 1 mm. 
Previously recorded from Tumbatu, East Africa, Red Sea, Zanzibar, Coetivy, Egmont. 
2. Sympodium fulvum (Forsk.). (Plate XXIV, Fig. 7). 
For description see: 
KLUNZINGER, Korallthiere des rothen Meeres, 1877, p. 43, 1 fig. 
May, Jenaische Zeitschr. Naturwiss., 1899, XXXIII, p. 52. 
Stat. 315. Sailus Besar, Paternoster-Islands. Up to 36 M. Coral and Lithothamnion. 2 Ex. 
A yellowish-brown encrusting basal membrane bears large superficial spindles forming a 
characteristic kind of network in the meshes of which lie the retracted polyps. Some of the 
spicules are visible with the unaided eye. The diameter of an expanded anthocodia is about 
1.5 mm. The armature consists of a crown and points, the crown showing about three transverse 
rows, each point consisting of 2—3 pairs of spindles in chevron, one pair much larger than 
those flanking its base. The spindles are almost smooth, but many show very fine asperities. 
The longest was about 1 mm. in length. One of the polyps included a large embryo. It seems 
to us that V. fuscum Thomson & Henderson might have been included in this species. 
As Klunzinger expressly noted, the basal membrane is in part elevated into hillocks which 
are covered with polyps, whereas Wright and Studer make a point of the fact that S. fulvum 
is one of those species in which there are not elevated Alcyonium-like groups. Some of the pieces 
from Station 315 show a very distinct hillock, which may rise to a height of 1.4 cm. The presence 
of numerous monaxon sponge-spicules in the preparation suggested an inquiry into the nature 
of the hillocks, and it was found that there was a core of sponge covered with the Sympodium 
membrane. It is possible that this was also the case with Klunzinger’s specimens. 
Previously recorded from the Red Sea. 
The geographical range is striking, and may be emphasised in a case like this where the 
identification of the species is particularly certain. 
