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Three specimens of this species are available, collected by Prof. FR ICKE with his submersible "Geo"
at a depth of 125 m. The larger one, Fri 45- 1, 20 cm long and 15 cm high, has 12 living corallites at the
ends of the branches. The rest of the bushy colony is covered with calcareous algae , bryozoans, serpulids,
shells and so on. The calices are oval and measure up to 24 by 16 mm . Septa in five cycles, first two cycles
subequal, edges sloping down vertically to the spongy columella. Edges of the higher orders of septa
denticulated. Wall thi ck. Costae fine with perforated furrows. The smaller specimen, Fri 45 - 3, corresponds
to that shown in BOURNE (1905 , pI. 2, fig. 10). The third specimen, Fri 45- 4, one living and one dead
corallite, is attached to the substrate which bears D. borsti (Fri 45- 2).
Material :
Gulf of Aqaba: HLM Fri 45 - 1, 3, 4 (Eilat, lighthouse, 125 m) .
Dis t rib uti 0 n : Red Sea; South coast of Arabia; Ceylon.
Rem ark s : We cannot agree with GARDINER & WA UGH (1939) who consider D. klunzingeri
(HORST, 1926, figured in HORST, 1922a, pI. 8, fig. 21 , as D. coccinea) as identical to the present species.
This is the first record of D. robusta occurring in the Red Sea.
Genus Tubastmea LESSO ,1834
Type species: Tubastraea coccinea LESSON, 1834.
G e n e ric c h a r ae t e r s: Subplocoid to dendroid, budding from edge zone or from the base of
the coral lite. Corallites united by feably costate coenosteum . Living tissue red to orange or black to dark
green.
Remark s: BOSCHMA (1953) has expatiated in detail upo n Tubastraea. However, we feel in
accordance with ZIBROWIUS (in WljSMAN-BEST, FAURE & PICHON, 1980: 621), when he states that the
genus Tubastraea is badly known and has to be revised urgently. Therefore we consider the following
synopsis of the genus, based on the growthform, not as a definite one.
Synopsis of Tubastraea from the Red Sea. :
A. Corallum subplocoid . Budding from the coenosteum between the corallites.
I. Corallites 8 to 10 mm in diameter, up to 12 mm high , 5 to 6 mm deep. Septa in three cycles, the
first twO well developed, scarcely exsert. Columella small, to which the first tow cycles unite.
Polyps reddish .................. . .......................... . ... . ........ T. aurea
B. Corallum subdendroid. Budding from the edge zone of corallites.
2. Budding mostly basally. Corallites 8 to 10 mm in diameter, up to 15 mm high, seldom 20 mm .
Septa in four cycles, the fourth mostly incomplete. Septa of the first two cycles reach the more
or less well developed columella. Polyps brown ... .. ... . ..... .. . . ... . ... . .... T. diapbana
3. Budding mostly marginally or laterally. Corallites 8 to 12 mm in diameter, 15 to 30 mm high.
Septa in four complete cycles, those of the third and fourth cycle inconspicuous. Columella well
developed. Polyps orange red. . .. . .................................. . ... T. coccinea
C. Corallum dendroid.
4. Branches 10 to 20 mm thick , repeatedly dividing, with lateral corallites. Corallites 5 to 8 mm in
diameter, 10 to 15 mm long. Septa in three cycles, the tertiaries sometimes incomplete and
inconspicuous. Columella more or less developed. Polyps blackish ........ . ... . T. micrantbus
Tubastraea aurea (QUOY and GAIMARD), 1833
(Plate 40. Fig. 8)
Lobopbyl/iQ allrea
DendropbylJia aurea
Tubastraea allrea
1833. QUOY & CAIMARD, 195 ; pl. 1517-1 1 (Type locality: Society Islands),
1926. v. d. HORST, 46; pl . 2/ 1-4 , 8a, b, 9a , b.
1953. BOSCH~1.A , 112- 117; pis. 9/5, 6 ; 10/2,6; 1112. 4-6: 12/ 1- 6.
1968. EGUCHI, C68; pis. C161S, 6; CI7/ 17; C26/ 2 , 3 (synonymy).
1976. PI LLAI & SCHEER, 72.
1980, HEAD. 172, 470.