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150
Blastomussa merlell 1973 , WIJSMAN·8EST, IS" .
1975. CHEVALIER. 32 7 ; p l~ 29/6 ; 30/ S- 7.
1978. HEAD. 634 . fig. I •.
(non 1968. WELLS, 276 ; figs. 4 , 5).
1980. VERON & PIC HON. 234 ; figs. 393- 394. 767.
1980. HEAD. 153 . 466.
The four samples in the present collecti on include several specimens ranging from single corallites to
small phaceloid colonies. 4 em high and up to 3 em spread. Corallites cylindrical. an epitheca stops 1 mm
from the top of the wall. Adjacent corall ites 3 to 6 mm apart. diameter 4 to 5 mm . Wall about 0 .5 mm
thick. Calices shallow (1 mm). Septa in three cycles. primaries larger than secondanes. and these larger
than tertiaries. Primaries exsert to 1.5 mm . Edges either entire or in higher c),des with 2 to 3 serrations.
Septa swollen at the wall. exsert part with a deep cleft . above which the septum narrows. so that it has a
beaked appeara nce . Sides of septa granular. Two cycles of septa reach the columella. Columella composed
of thickened trabeculae with 1 to 3 upright processes. These processes are arra nged in so me calices in a
lo ngitudinal row forming a vertical ridge. Costae conspicuous at the top of the branch. below covered by
an epitheca . The above details are based on PW 7 1 349.
Ma t e r ial:
Gulf of Aqaba: T. Aviv S 928 1 (E ilat. 60 m).
Basel PW 7 1 349a. b (Fara 'un lsI. . 40 m) ,
orthern R. S.: T. Aviv NS 5946 (Ras Muhammad. 10 m).
Di s t rib uti 0 n : Red Sea; Aldab ra (ROS EN. 1971) , Madagascar, Great Barrier Reef, New Caledonia.
BiaS10 tllllSsa
UJellri
merleli
Blaslomussa wellsi WljSMAN-BEST. 1973
(Plate 35 , Figs. 7. 8, 10, II)
1973, WIJSMAN· BEST. 154; figs. I, 2