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1 millim. in diameter at its base, placed on the larger and medium-
sized branches. Axis of soft joints firm, brich-red in colour ; th at
of internodes crimson, traversed by numerous longitudinal canals in
the stem and larger branches, in the small branches deeply channelled
by longitudinal forrows.
Spicules of general cortex :—(i.) Larger, fusiform, the ends rather
blunt, the shaft stout, beset with numerous strong and prominent
tubercles, their ends strongly microtubercnlate, irregularly distributed
over the spicule ; size -21 by -062 millim. (ii.) Smaller, sub-
cubical, looking as if formed by an aggregation of tubercles like those
of (i.) ; diameter -07 millim. Spicules of verrucæ ;—(iii.) Longitudinal,
fusiform, with blunt ends, provided with numerous and strong
tubercles of a length equal to half the diameter of the shaft of the
spicule ; size -21 by '035 millim. (iv.) Horizontal, fusiform, tapering
to sharp points, tubercles numerous but small and sharp ; size as (iii.).
Hah. Port Alolle, Queensland, 12-20 fms.
Two dry specimens represent this beautiful species. The common
stem of the largest is 31 millim. long, its total height 130 millim.
(5 inches), its maximum width 76 millim. (3 inches). The species
differs from AI. ocJiracea externally by the presence of two kinds of
zooids, by the slenderness of the stem, and the slight difference in
thickness between the main and the lesser branches, by the greater
relative length of the internodes and the rounded outline of the joints,
the almost complete anastomosis of the branches, and the whitish
ground-colour of the cortex ; in its minute characters it is distinguished
by the long cortical spicules being stouter and about half
as long again as in AI. ocliracea, and by the stronger tuberculation
of those of the verrucæ. Although, as in the cases of Alcyonium
and Sarcophytum, Xenia and Heteroxenia, two otherwise nearly
related genera have been shown to he distinguished by the character
of dimorphism in the polypes of one of the pair, I do n o t know
any other case in which, as here, a species is referable on all other
grounds but this one character to the same genus as other species
which do not exhibit it.
MOPSELLA.
Alopsella, Gray, P. Z. S. 1857, p. 284.
Alelitella, Gray, P. Z. S. 1859, p. 485.
Both hard and soft axis perforated by longitudinal canals wherever
stout enough to carry them. Cortical spicules of two kinds, fusiform
and foliated (“ Blattkeule,” Kolliker). The presence of this foliated
spicule distinguishes the genus from Alelitodes and Acaharia ; this, in
conjunction with the perforation of the hard axis, from Clathraria.
33. Mopsella textiformis.
Melitea textiformis, Lamarck, Alem. AIus. Hist. Nat. i. p. 412
Lamouroux, Polyp, fiexibles, p. 464, pi. xix. fig. 1.
Melithiea textiformis, Al.-Edwards (§■ Haime, Hist. Cor. i. p. 201.
P Alélitée ochracée, De Blainville, Alan. Actinal, p. 604, pl. Ixxxvi.
fig. 3.
? Alopsella retifera, Studer, AÍB. Ak. Berlin, 1878, p. 666.
Lamarck’s species seems not to have been clearly identified by
modern writers, with, perhaps, the exception of Verrill (Bull. AIus.
Comp. Zool. Camb. i. p. 38) ; I have, however, little doubt of its
identity with a form which occurs somewhat abundantly in this
collection from Port Alolle, Queensland, &c. I have thought it well
to describe this form fully, in order to clear up the uncertainty which
has hitherto prevailed as to the correct name of the species.
I t branches strictly in one plane and has elongated meshes ; the
stem and main branches are slight and break up almost immediately
into a reticulum of undulating thin branchlets, which almost all
anastomose ; the terminal branchlets are only about I millim. in
diameter. , The internodes are long ; the joints are small, short, and
squarish. The cortex is rough, rather dull scarlet ; the zooid-
verrucæ of the same colour ; the expanded zooids, scarlet in one
specimen, yellow in another, are equal and small, bnt distinctly prominent,
abundant over the front and sides of the branches. Axis
of joints firm, bright red, th at of hasal internodes longitudinally
channelled, deep red ; of distal internodes faintly striated, hut ot
the same tint, and penetrated by the longitudinal canals.
Spicules of general cortex :—(i.) Pusiform, sharply pointed at both
ends, as a rule, and covered with irregularly scattered tubercles,
which are large and blunt at the middle of the spicule, minute
a t the ends ; dimensions-18. by -035 millim. (ii.) “ Blattkeulen,”
large, either with long cylindrical shaft, strongly tuberculate, with
large compound tubercles and two “ leaves ” which are broad,
'rounded, the edges divided into blunt teeth, or with the shaft more
or less aborted ; dimensions of spicule ’21 by '105 millim., length of
cylindrical shaft alone about •! millim. Spicules of verrucæ :—(iii.)
Longitudinal, curved, fusiform, tapering gracefully to sharp points,
with rather few tubercles, prominent and sharp at middle, disappearing
towards ends ; dimensions '24 by '035 millim. (iv.) Horizontal,
very regularly fusiform, curved, pointed rather bluntlj'',
covered with very closely set, low, blunt tubercles ; dimensions ’28
by '041 millim.
Hab. Port Curtis, 5 -7 fms. ; Port Alolle, 12-20 fms. ; Thursday
Island and Prince of Wales Channel, Torres Straits, 4 -7 fms. Also,
perhaps, Dirk Hartog Island, W. Australia, and N.W. Australia
(Studer).
This is a delicate and graceful species ; it is represented in this
collection by two nearly perfect specimens and a number of fragments
in the dry state, and by a specimen and fragments in spirit. The
largest specimen measures 193 millim. (nearly 8 inches) in height,
by 146 millim. (6 inches) in maximum breadth; the thickness of
the base is—^joints 6 millim., internodes 4 millim. Lamarck’s and
Lamouroux’s descriptions suit the species very well, and the remark
of the latter to the effect th at it is “ pen rameuse ; se divisant subitement
en ramuscules très-menus, filiformes, verruqucux, anastomosés,”