§5 
5- Nephthya cupressiformis Kiikenthal. 
For description see: KUKENTHAL, Versuch einer Revision der Alcyonarien. II. Nephthyiden. 
Zool. Jahrbucher, XIX, 1904, p. 153, 2 figs. 
Stat. 37. Sailus Ketjil, Paternoster-islands. 27 M. and less. Coral and coral sand. 1 Ex. 
Stat. 213. Saleyer. Up to 36 M. Coral reefs, mud and mud with sand. 1 Ex. 
Stat. 299. io°52 / .4S., 123 0 i'.i E. 34 M. Mud, coral and Lithothamnion. 1 Ex. 
A colony from Station 299, of a grey-brown colour, with a height of 8.2 cm. of which 
2.8 cm. forms the sterile stem. The colony is limp, with pointed elongated conical lappets, and 
the whole is suggestive of a spread-out cypress. It may be referred to Nephthya cupressiformis 
for the following reasons: 
(1) the conical pointed lappets ; 
(2) the abundance of other spicule-forms besides spindles and cylinders; 
(3) the very strong thorns of the spindles, which are often unsymmetrically disposed and on 
the basal cortex may approach the foliaceous; 
(4) the abundance in the lower cortex of compact very jagged irregular forms, sometimes 
stellate, sometimes approaching double stars. 
The supporting bundle is strong and ensheathing, and in our specimen never shows 
more than the tips of two spindles projecting. The abaxial and lateral rows show at least four 
pairs of small warty spindles in each row. Some smoother forms occur internally. Very minute 
cylindrical rods also occur. 
A limp, cream-yellow specimen from Saleyer, standing 7.2 cm. high, shows some individual 
peculiarities, but not enough in our judgment to justify separation. It belongs to the type with 
narrow pointed lappets, weak internal armature of polyps, and with the lower cortical spicules 
not restricted to spindles and cylinders. Therefore it comes near N. cupressiformis and we think 
within it. It is slightly divergent in the fact that the larger spindles of the basal regions are 
longer and less strongly spinose, but the smaller sclerites are just the same as in other specimens 
which we have referred to this species. The supporting bundle is very strong, stronger than in 
the others examined, and two spindles often project for a very short distance. We think these 
and similar minor features are just what might be expected in any of these fluctuating species. 
Another colony from Station 37 differs from the above in some details, but seems to us 
to be referable to the same species. The limp cypress-like colony, 9.6 cm. in height, has a creamy 
white colour. The short supporting bundle hardly ever projects. Among the larger spicules from 
the canal walls, some forms occur which are much more densely warted than in Kukenthal’s 
figure. But there are in the lower cortex the numerous compact spicules with jagged processes, 
as Kuicenthal described. 
Previously recorded from Pacific Ocean, Palan Islands. 
6. Nephthya ere eta Kiikenthal. 
For description see: KUKENTHAL, Versuch einer Revision der Alcyonarien, Nephthyiden, 
Teil I, Zool. Jahrb. 1904, XIX, p. 154, 4 figs. 
Stat. 78. Borneo-bank. 34 M. Coral and coral sand. 2 Ex. 
Stat. 299. io°52 / .4S., 123 0 i'.i E. 34 M. Mud, coral and Lithothamnion. 2 Ex. 
