Report on the zoological collections made in the Indo-Pacific Ocean ...

336 COLLECTIONS FROM MELANESIA.Ohs. This species belongs to the section of Muricea, s. lat., whichVerrill has named Murkclla (Trans. Conn. Acad. i. p. 450). Itappears to be most nearly related to MuriceUa jiexuosa, Verrill, ofdescribed species, but the verrucas appear to be larger than in anyspecies yet known ;perhaps the systematic position of the species isnot far from Nicella, Gray.10. Muricea umbraticoides.Studer, MB. Ah. Berlin, 1878, p. GoO, pi. iii. fig. 16.Studer's description and figures of his species (obtained fromDirk Hartog Island, on the west coast of Australia, about 26° S. lat.,in 45 fms.) are most characteristic, with the exception that the"halbseitig warzig" character of the spicules appears hardly toexist, and the ti;bercles should be rough and more distinct fromeach other than his otherwise good figure 166 would signifj^. Twodry and several spirit specimens are in the collection, 185 millim.(7| inches) in height.Hab. Port Curtis, Queensland, 5-11 fms., bottom sand and shells ;also Port Molle, 14 fms. (from Australian Museum).ECHINOMURICEA, rerrill.Acanthogorgia, Johnston, pars, nee Gray.The type species of the genus is E. {Nephthya, Stimpson) coccinea,Stimpson, which I have wrongly retained in Nephthya (Ann. and Mag.N. H. (5) ix. p. 184), having overlooked Verrill's later remarks uponthe species. The tj'pe species of Acanthogo7-(/ia (A. hirsuta, Gray)appears to me quite distinct gcnerically from the two (A. grayi andA. atlantica) assigned to it by Johnston. The latter agree withEcJunomnricea. A new si^ecies of the genus occurs in the collection.11. Echinomuricea indo-malaccensis.(Plate XXXVI. figs. B, B' ; Plate XXXVIII. figs, d-d'".)Corallum erect, branching almost exclusively in one plane atangles of about 75°. Branching fundamentally dichotomous, accompaniedby unilateral pin nation. Branches given off at intervals ofnot more than 20 or less than 6 millim., as a rule. Branches nearmiddle of colony comparatively short, viz. 15 to 40 millim., thosenear the periphery tend to become very long (e.g. up to 160 millim.) ;cylindrical, slightly clavate, being about 2 to 3 millim. in diameterat their commencement, and about 3 to 4 millim, at apex in largespecimens, 1-5 to 2 in small ones. Axis very tough and flexible, verydark brown at base, paler at ends of branches. Cortex thin, arenaceousin appearance, red. Verrucae crowded over all parts of cortex,leaving but small intervals, prominent but truncate, resembling lowturrets ; in expanded condition about "3 millim. high and 1 millim.