102 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.8. CHALLENGER. 



Benthodytes, 1 n. gen. 



Body more or less depressed, with the anterior part of its brim rather large. 

 Mouth ventral, at a greater distance from the foremost extremity of the body. 

 Anus posterior, dorsal, usually almost terminal. Tentacles twelve (?) to twenty. Pedi- 

 cels arranged in a single row round the brim of the body and in a double one along 

 the odd ambulacrum. The dorsal surface seldom naked, commonly with a greater 

 or smaller number of retractile or non-retractile, more or less inconsiderable processes, 

 arranged in a single row all along each ambulacrum or in an irregular double row, 

 or scattered over the lateral interambulacra. 



Benthodytes papillifera, n. sp. 



Body elongated, of an almost oval form, about thrice as lorjg as broad. Tentacles 

 twenty ; some of the ventral ones slightly smaller than the others ; their ddated terminal 

 part with small retractile processes round the edge. The dorsal surface destitute 

 of processes (?). Integument rather thick and soft with numerous conical papillae, 

 crowded all over the back ; calcareous deposits in the form of more or less straight, 

 spinose or almost smooth spicula. 



Colour in alcohol blackish violet on the ventral surface, and rather light violet on the 

 back ; the thin brim surrounding the body is striated by lighter and darker bands. 

 Length, about 150 mm. Breadth, about 50 mm. 



Habitat.— Station 184. August 29, 1874. Lat. 12° 8' S., long. 145° 10' E. 

 Depth, 1400 fathoms. ; bottom temperature, 1'8° C. ; grey ooze. Four very incomplete 

 and macerated specimens. Station 300. December 17, 1875. Lat. 33' 42' S., long. 

 78° 18' W. Depth, 1375 fathoms ; bottom temperature, 1"5° C. ; globigerina ooze. 

 Five specimens. Station 271. September 6, 1875. Lat. 0' 33' S., long 151° 34' W. 

 Depth, 2425 fathoms, bottom temperature, 1'0° C. ; globigerina ooze. Four rather 

 macerated individuals. 



The body is more depressed than in the preceding genus and its brim is rather 

 broad. The tentacles, pedicels, &c, closely resemble those of Benthodytes sanguinolenta. 

 The wide canals which belong to the lateral pedicels are plainly to be seen through the 

 brim. A transverse row of small papilla-like prominences is present on the ventral sur- 

 face immediately behind the crown of tentacles. The back seems to be destitute of 

 processes, but if there are any which have escaped my notice, they ought to be situated in 

 its most anterior part. The whole dorsal surface is, on the contrary, covered with closely 

 crowded, small, conical papillae, which do not communicate with the ambulacral system, 

 but must be considered as prominences of the integument. Each papilla appears to contain 

 one or more calcareous spicula (PI. XXXIV. fig. 14), of which one always shoots out beyond 



1 BiySo; = depths of the sea. 



