LETEPSAMMIA FRANKI, A NEW SPECIES OF DEEP-SEA CORAL (COELENTERATA, SCLERACTINIA, MICRABACIIDAE)

Letepsammia franki, a new species of deep-sea, solitary corals belongi ng to the family Micrabaciidae, is described and figured. This new spe cies resembles the type species, L. formosissima (Moseley, 1876), in h aving highly perforated septa and wall, and well-developed deltas. It differs in the distinctly beaded appearance of its septa, deltas, and columella; its slightly biconvex corallum with prominent basal apex; i ts projection of costae beyond septa at the distal edge, forming a nar row marginal shelf and its more open basal wall. It is Recent in origi n and is found in the Indian Ocean off the southeast coast of Africa a t depths varying from approximately 50 to 650 meters. It thus falls wi thin both the geologic and bathymetric ranges of the type species, L. formosissima.