OCR Text |
Show 534 PROF. F. J. BELL ON HOLOTHUROIDS. [June 23, H O L O T H U R I A S^ECULARIS, sp. nov. (Plate X L V . fig. 6.) Body elongated, stout, covered with scattered spicules, which are not numerous and not much more common on the ventral than the dorsal surface. Mouth slightly ventral in position. The body-wall is very thick (as much as 6 millim.) and is somewhat wrinkled in spirit; the stone-canal is as much as 34 millim. long ; there is one Polian vesicle ; the pieces of the oesophageal ring are stout and deep ; the genital tubes arborescent. Cuvierian organs appear to be absent. The spicules are numerous, small, with well-marked knobs, and ordinarily three pairs of holes ; there are no turri-form bodies. Colour light stone speckled with white. 135 millim. long ; 45 millim wide. 110 millim. long ; 40 millim. wide. Angola. The apparently complete absence of turriform bodies from among the deposits of this species is remarkable. HOLOTHURIA VICTORICE, (Plate XLV. fig. 7.) Body elongated, tapering a little posteriorly, soft to the touch ; suckers closely packed in middle ventral line, rarer at sides and above. Mouth ventral. The radials of the oesophageal ring with a semicircular notch ; large Polian vesicle; stone-canal 36 millim. long ; body-wall rather thick. The genital tubes, digestive tract, and possibly the Cuvierian organs have been ejected. Turriform bodies numerous; base with four central large and a varying number of smaller holes ; spire with only one transverse bar ; no flat plates or supporting spicules. Colour light brown above, lighter below. Length of single specimen 137 millim.; greatest breadth 34 millim. The locality given is " Australian seas" ; as the specimen was purchased from Dr. Bowerbank, it is possible that the exact locality was Fremantle, W . Australia, whence Dr. Bowerbank did receive a large number of specimens. In the key given by Dr. Lampert this new form will stand with H. intestinalis and H. magellani; from the latter it may at once be distinguished by not having the suckers arranged in rows, and from the former by the form of the spicules. EXPLANATION OF PLATE XLV. Fig. 1. Characteristic spicules of Cucumaria sancti-johannis. 2. „ „ C. bicolor. 3. ,, „ C. inconspicua. 4. „ „ Holothuria whitmcei. 5. „ „ H. kapiolanics. 6. „ „ H sacularis. 7. „ „ H. victorice. Fig. 4 is magnified 330, fig. 6 440, the others 220 diameters. |