. An account of the alcyonarians collected by the Royal Indian marine survey ship Investigator in the Indian Ocean. Alcyonaria. In the larger specimen the main stem gives off several branches and these again bear secondary and sometimes tertiary lobes. The surface is very rugged ; the texture is leathery ; the main stem is densely packed with large spicules. The autozooids are numerous; they are separated by intervals of about 1 mm. and are about 0 5 mm. in diameter. Siphonozooids do not occur. Locality : Andamans. Previously recorded from Hulule, Male Atoll ; Maldives (Pratt). Sclerophytum an
. An account of the alcyonarians collected by the Royal Indian marine survey ship Investigator in the Indian Ocean. Alcyonaria. In the larger specimen the main stem gives off several branches and these again bear secondary and sometimes tertiary lobes. The surface is very rugged ; the texture is leathery ; the main stem is densely packed with large spicules. The autozooids are numerous; they are separated by intervals of about 1 mm. and are about 0 5 mm. in diameter. Siphonozooids do not occur. Locality : Andamans. Previously recorded from Hulule, Male Atoll ; Maldives (Pratt). Sclerophytum andamanense, n. sp. We reluctantly add to the already long list of species in this genus, but the characters of the present specimen, though ap[)roaching >S'. tnhemilosum (Loho- plijitiim tuhfrcidosum, Quoy et Gaimard), mark it oft'as new. The colony is low and spreading; the basal attachment is 55 mm. lonti; and 25 mm. broad. The stalk is very indefinite ; on one side of the basal plate it rises to a height of 22 mm. but it is altogether absent on the other side, so that the polyp-bearing capi- tulum extends to the very base. The margin of the capitulum is very much convoluted, especially on the side where the stalk is apparent. The colony may be said to be fleshy and tough, but there is an abundance of spicules in the stalk and central portion of the capitulum. The autozooids are large, and when expanded are over 2 mm. in length and 1 mm. in diameter; the tentacles are quite visible to the naked eye. When the polyps are partially retracted the tentacles are infolded and form a beautiful eight-rayed star. The orifices are 075 to 1 mm. in diameter ; they are separated by distances varying from 1 to 2 mm., but at the margin they are more crowded, so that even when the auto- zooids are partially retracted and have the tentacles unfolded they almost touch. The siphonozooids are extremely minute or altogether aljsent. The colour of the colony is greenish-brown. Locality : Andamans
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Keywords: ., bookauthorthomsonjarthurjohnart, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900
