1058 " CEPHALOPODA. [Dibranchia. 



membrane ; arms short ; tentacles long ; suckers long-pedunculated ; 

 siphon with very large valve. Fourth left arm hectocotylized to its 

 base. 



This genus is world-wide in its distribution, and includes also 

 ten fossil species from the Oxford Clay, Solenhofen, and a. single fossil 

 species from Texas. 



Of the thirty Recent species, one-third are known by the shell only. 



1. Sepia apama, Gray, 1849. Plates 67, 68, 69, figs. 1, a. 



Sepia apama, Gray, Ceph. Antep. Brit. Mus., 1849, 103 ; C.M.M., 4 ; Man. 

 Conch. (1), i, 1879, 194; Chall. Rep., xvi, 1886, 24; McCoy, Zool. of 

 Victoria, xix Decade, 1888, pis. 188-90 ; Brazier, Cat. A.M., No. 15, 11 ; 

 Pritchard and Gatliff, P.R.S. Vic. (n.s.), x, 244 ; Index, 58. 



Body thick, fleshy, moderately convex on back, more so on ventral 

 side, smooth, broad-ovate, narrowed behind. Lateral fins rising a 

 little above the edge of mantle anteriorly, rounded at posterior end, 

 leaving a small, angular, obtusely rounded notch or space with slightly 

 convex intervening portion of body at posterior end. Sessile arms 

 short, strong, moderately thick; order of length 4, 3, 2 == 1, or 

 4, 2 == 1, 3, or 4, 3 =2 == 1 ; each with 4 rows of subequal suckers, 

 the compressed horny rim of each of which is set with very numerous, 

 compressed, truncated, fringe-like, short teeth ; fin between arms 

 about one-third of their length to upper pairs of arms, and about 

 half the length of ventral pairs between them and next pair, but nearly 

 obsolete between the bases of two ventral arms. Two tentacular 

 arms reaching about twice the length of the club beyond end of body ; 

 club dilated abruptly, auriculate, extended inwards when reflexed 

 (outwards when directed forwards), and obtusely plicated transversely 

 on back, with a short fin on outer (when turned back, inner when turned 

 forward) straight edge ; 5 rows of suckers, 3 outer rows smallest, inner 

 row larger, and median row largest, all with numerous, minute, trun- 

 cated, fringe-like teeth on compressed horny edge ; 7 or 8 very large 

 cups (counted in the longitudinal direction), with about 3 smaller 

 at base and 5 at apex of same row. Head large, transversely oblong, 

 a little less than opening of mantle ; eyes very large, with very thick 

 underlid ; a group of 3 to 5 caruncles over each eye, and 2 or 3 smaller 

 ones below, behind middle ; anterior dorsal edge of mantle broadly 

 semioval ; ventral moderately concave. Buccal membrane with 7 

 lobes, 1 point between bases of dorsal arms, 1 on each side over 

 bases of next pair of arms, 1 on each side between bases of next pair 

 of arms (or over base of tentacular arms), 1 on each side of base of 

 ventral arms ; lips with numerous small wattles ; beak sharp, black. 

 Colour, dark purple on back and upper surface of head, paler at sides 

 and base of fins, the narrow outer edges of which are darker ; lower 

 or ventral side paler ; tentacular arms and inner face of sessile arms 

 whitish. 



