PDF - Eprints@CMFRI

171
Prof. FRICKE with his submersible "Geo" collected at [WO places a remarkable Dendropbyllia which
we cannot identify unequivocally and which we group with D. minuscula. It could , however , also be a
deep-water ecomorph of another Dendropbyllia species. The branch lets collected are fragments of colonies
30 ro 40 cm large , and clearly belong ro two different forms.
(1) The branchlets collected at Sharm esh Sheikh at a depth of 126 m are slender. The daughter
corallites are up ro 8 mm long, relatively despersed and more or less on the same plane. The costae of the
corallites and branchlets, on which they are located, are narrow and feature a series of fine teeth.
(2) In contrast, the specimens collected near Eilat in a depth of 150 m are more co mpact, the daughter
corallites are closer rogether and are arranged all around the branch, measuring up ro 5 mm only. The
costae of the corallites and branchlets are irregular. A dominant feature are the furrows separating the
costae with numerous short or elongated perforations.
The calices of both for ms measure 3 ro 4.5 mm in diameter, are slightly oval and occasionally somewhat
hexagonal. The first three septa cycles are complete, the septa of the second cycle relatively short,
the fourth and fifth cycles are incomplete.
Material :
Gulf of Aqaba : HLM Fri 37- 1 (Eilat, Aquarium, 150 m).
Northern R. S.: HLM Fri 92- 3 (Sharm esh Sheikh, 126 m).
Dis t ri but io n : Red Sea; Ceylon; Ke i Isis. (Banda Sea).
Rem ark s : This is the first time that this species has been recorded in the Red Sea.
Dr. ZIBROWIUS has ki ndly shown us some specimens of an unidentified Dendropbyllia from South
Africa, very similar ro ours and perhaps of the same species. But further investigations will be required
ro clarify the relationship of all these Dendropbytlia specimens.
Dendropbyllia arbuscula v. d . HORST, 1922
(Plate 40. Figs. 1- 3)
DendrophyliiD arbuscula 1922a. v. d. HORST, lOS ; pI. 8/6 (Type local ity: Kei Islands and Dammer Island . Banda Sea).
1968, EGUCHI, CSS , pl. C2I IS, Il.
1974. SCHEER & PILLAI . 64, pI. 29/4, S.
1976, PILLAI & SCHEER, 7J.
The present specimens are all tufted dendroid colonies with corallites radiating from a central stem.
Maximum height 3.5 cm . Corallites, when fully formed , measure 7 to 8 mm in diameter at the rop, with
a maximum height of 15 mm from the stem. Adult ones feature small buds at their sides. Depth of calices
5 ro 6 mm. Wall very thin. Septa in four complete cycles with a set of the fifth, arranged according ro
POURTAUi s plan. The first two cycles join the columella. Septa of the third cycle are short and mostly
free . Those of the fifth link ro the fourth , and the latter in turn form pairs and unite with the columella.
Septa of the first two cycles are serrated. Septa with perforations. Columella trabecular, projecting. Intercostal
spaces thinner than the costae.
Material:
Gulf of Suez: jerus. SLR 856-3 (Et Tur).
Gulf of Aqaba: j erus. SLR 1384-2 (Wadi Treibe).
T. Aviv NS 1368- 1, 2, E52123 (Eilat).
Northern R. S.: T. Aviv S 5930 (Ras Muhammad ).
HLM X2 : 3- 48 (1, 2) (Gubal lsl.) ; 5- 2 (Ghardaqa).
Cemral R. S.: HLM X2 : 7-1 (Mayetib Isl.).
Dis t rib uti 0 n : Red Sea ; Maldives; icobar Isis.; East Indies; japan.
Dendropbyllia borsti GARD INER and WAUGH , 1939
(Plate 39, Figs. 11 ,12)
Dndropbyllia horsti 1939. GARDINER & WAUGH, 237 ; pI. 21S t 6 (Type locality: Ari Atoll, Maldives).
23 Zoologica, I H