300 



ON THE ECHINODERM FAUNA OF NEW ZEALAND. 



By H. Farquhar. 



(Communicated by the Secretary.) 



The Echinoderm fauna of NeNv Zealand is not homogeneous, 

 nevertheless it contains a large number of peculiar forms which give 

 it a strongly distinctive character of its own. Its affinities are 

 strongest with that of Australia. Omitting doubtful and deep- 

 water forms we find that fifty-eight per cent, of the known species 

 are endemic, thirty-six per cent, occur in Australia, and only six 

 per cent, have been found elsewhere and not in Australia. 



If now we consider the several classes separately we find that 

 remarkably great and exceedingly interesting differences obtain 

 in their characteristics and distribution. Only two Crinoids have 

 as yet been found in New Zealand seas. They are both deep- 

 water forms dredged up by the naturalists of the " Challenger," 

 and they both extend beyond the New Zealand area. 



Of Ophiuroids we have sixteen species all of the family 

 Ophiuridfe.* Six of these are deep-water forms dredged up by 

 the " Challenger," three of which range beyond the New Zealand 

 area. Of the ten littoral forms seven are endemic. The remain- 

 ing three species (Aynphiura eleyins, phionereis Schayeri, and 

 Ophiomyxa australis) occur also in Australia, Amphiura elegans 

 being a cosmopolitan species. Amphiura is the largest genus of 

 Echinoderms, and the littoral forms are usually confined to 

 limited areas. The distribution of A. elegans is, therefore, 

 remarkable. Ophionereis Schayeri and Ophiomyxa australis 

 belong to small genera, the species of which are noted for their 

 wide distribution in shallow water. Our species of Ophionereis 



* I retain the late Mr. Lyman's classification at present, for the class 

 contains only two well defined natural families. 



