The polyp stalks vary greatly in length as noted by Wright and Studer, and may 
attain a length of 2 mm. 
The polyps are arranged in small, loose bundles of 3—5. 
The anthocodial armature shows 3 — 4 pairs of curved, thorny spindles en chevron, the 
upper pair or one of the upper pair markedly projecting over the base of the tentacles. In some 
of the polyps with shorter stalk each point consists of about 3 pairs almost equal in size. Between 
the points there are often one or two accessories. Below these is a pseudo-crown of several 
rows (often three) of roughly horizontal spindles, and below these again are larger spicules 
which merge into those of the polyp stalk. 
The supporting bundle is very strong, and one spindle over 3 mm. in length projects 
for a distance of a little over 1 mm. beyond the polyp head; it is flanked basally on each 
side by one or more almost equally strong, and lateral to these are smaller spicules. Kukenthal’s 
reference to the Challenger Report description of the supporting bundle as “weakly developed’’ 
is a misunderstanding of Wright and Studer’s sentence which referred only to certain close- 
packed polyps with coalescent stalks. The strength of the supporting bundle is emphatically 
shown in Wright and Studer’s figure. 
Other spicules. The cortex of the stem shows stout, thick spindles with strong tubercles, 
many markedly compound, truncated, and along with these only a few triradiates and quadrira- 
diates besides smaller exceedingly irregular warty bodies, often like the broken heads of clubs. 
There are also several grades of capstans culminating in bossed multiradiate stars. 
Previously recorded from Torres Straits. 
✓ 
31. Dendronephthya longicaulis Ktik. (Plate XX, Fig. 7). 
For description see: KUKENTHAL, Versuch einer Revision der Alcyonarien, 1905, II, pp. 633-634. 
Stat. 310. 8° 30' S., 119 0 F 7 -5 E. 73 M. Sand with few pieces of dead coral. 1 Ex. 
Diagnosis: Umbellate; very long stalked; somewhat flattened polyparium ; basal branches 
foliaceous and forming a collar; polyps in small, loose umbellate groups; polyp stalks usually 
short, but may reach a length of 2 mm.; supporting bundle weak; point spicules one pair 
only, one of which is stronger; pseudo-crown of numerous spicules; grade VI ; spicules : cortex 
of the branches covered with stout spindles bluntly tuberculate, cortex of the stalk with many 
stellate forms. 
Anthocodial Grade and Formula: 
VI = I + 1 P -f 4—6 Cr + weak S. B. 
Descriptive Notes: 
Colony as a whole. A single, peculiar specimen unlike any other in the collection; 
marked by a long flexible stalk (10 cm. out of a total of 13); of uniform diameter (1.3 cm.); 
and bearing a rather loose umbellate polyparium, somewhat flattened. 
Branching. The basal branches of the polyparium are foliaceous and form a collar 
turned downwards. There are but few branches extending transversely, so that the top of the 
polyparium appears rather truncate. 
Colouring. General surface of the cortex is pinkish white, the polyp stalks reddish brown, 
while the anthocodial spicules are almost translucent. 
