Tree Coral

Dendrophyllia arbuscula Van der Horst, 1922

?Dendrophyllia conferta.—Rehberg, 1892:28.

Dendrophyllia arbuscula Van der Horst. 1922:53, pl. 8: fig. 6.—Yabe and Eguchi. 1932a:388: 1941b:102.—Eguchi. 1934:367; 1965:294. 2 figs.; 1968:C55–56. pl. C21: figs. 5, 13.—Not Kikuchi, 1968:9, pl. 5: fig. 6 [= Cladopsammia sp.].—Not Utinomi, 1971:220 [= Cladopsammia gracilis].— Eguchi and Miyawaki. 1975:54. pl. 6: fig. 4.-? Song, 1991:136, pl. 1: fig. 4; pl. 3: fig. 1.

?Dendrophyllia subcornigera Eguchi, 1934:367 [nomen nudum]; 1968:C64, pl. C32: figs. 3. 4.

?Dendrophyllia suhcornigera cylindrica Eguchi, 1934:367 [nomen nudum]; 1968:C64–65. pl. C32: figs. 1. 2.

?Dendrophyllia sp.—Eguchi. 1968:C67, pl. C30: figs. 6, 7.

Tubastrae cocinea.—Song, 1982:140, pl. 4: figs. 7, 8.

DESCRIPTION.—Colonies small, sparsely branched, and bushy. Largest colonies examined only 6 cm tall and rarely consist of more than 8 corallites, most buds originating from I or 2 larger-diameter axial corallites that persist as the terminal corallites of each branch. Corallites relatively large (e.g., 13 × 11 mm in diameter) and cylindrical. Colony pedicels up to 16 mm in diameter. Costae inconspicuous: flat, 0.5–0.6 mm wide, and porous, each covered by small, pointed granules arranged 3 or 4 across a costa. Intercostal striae narrow and shallow, 0.10–0.15 mm wide. Corallum white.

Septa hexamerally arranged in 4 cycles, the fourth cycle attained at a GCD of 6–7 mm; S5 rare, present only in largest corallites up to a total of about 60 septa. S1 slightly exsert (0.8–0.9 mm), with smooth, vertical inner edges that reach the columella only low in fossa. S2 less exsert and slightly less wide than an S1, but also have smooth inner edges that almost attain the columella. S3 about half width of an S2. Each pair of S4 within a half-system bend towards each other, resulting in either a loose fusion of their inner edges before their enclosed S3 or a closely parallel arrangement leading to the columella. Inner edges of S4 slightly porous and laciniate to dentate, the S1–3 being solid septa with entire inner edges. Fossa of moderate to shallow depth, containing a well-developed, discrete, elongate columella, sometimes constricted into 3 lobes by inner edges of the 4 lateral S1. Columella composed of small, flattened, swirled elements that are tightly fused together.

azooxanthellate

2-353 m

shelf