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The Extant Scleractinian Corals of New Zealand

Subfamily Parasmiliinae Vaughan and Wells, 1943 — Genus Goniocorella Yabe and Eguchi, 1932 — Goniocorella dumosa (Alcock), 1902. Pl. IV, fig. 1. Map symbol ⊞

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Subfamily Parasmiliinae Vaughan and Wells, 1943

Genus Goniocorella Yabe and Eguchi, 1932

Goniocorella dumosa (Alcock), 1902. Pl. IV, fig. 1. Map symbol ⊞

1902. Pourtalosmilia dumosa Alcock, p. 36, Pl. 5, figs. 33-33a.

Coralla of this species form a very dense thicket composed of elongate, profusely budding corallites, secured and bound together by scalariform processes. Corallites are 3 to 4 mm in diameter and are nearly cylindrical. Septa are short, non-exsert, and do not extend all the way to the columella. The exterior of the corallites is covered by fine granulations, which often form slightly raised costal ridges.

Although previously recorded only from the Indian Ocean and Japan, Squires (1960) has described the species from shallow waters off Norfolk Island. The occurrence of the species in deep water in Cook Strait is of great interest. It is apparently not uncommon there, for at least two occurrences are noted. But perhaps more significant is the great number of corallum fragments which are brought up in the dredge. The great bulk of the coral is dead, but this is the usual instance in colonial forms of this sort.

Occurrence: Cook Strait, 41° 35′ S., 174° 53′ E., 200 to 300 fathoms. Numerous specimens and fragments taken both living and dead. (Zoology Department, Victoria University.)

Cook Strait, 41° 33.7′ S., 174° 37′ E., 260 fathoms. Stat.C410. (N.Z. Oceanographic Institute.)

East of 44′s Chatham Island, 30 fathoms. Station 34, Chatham Island Expedition, 1954. (Canterbury Museum, Coral Collection.)

Distribution: Indian Ocean, New Zealand.