Berry. — Cephalopoda from the Kermadec Islands. 



147 



latter are more numerous than anywhere else, and mostly gathered in 2 

 large, dark, and very conspicuous triangular patches, one over each eye. 

 There are chromatophores on the ventral surface, but owing to their larger 

 size and more definite arrangement the bluish slate-coloured photogenic 

 organs are much more conspicuous. The keel of the gladius is very plainly 

 evident through the dorsal integument as a sharp and prominent dark line. 

 The buccal membrane is pale, its outer surface beautifully dotted with 

 reddish-brown chromatophores. 



The type and only specimen seen is a female (S.S.B. 408). It is a 

 remarkably well-preserved beach specimen, collected by R. S. Bell in 1910. 



Measurements. mm. 



Total length . . . . . . . . . . 90 



Length of mantle, dorsal . . . . . . 34 



Tip of body to base of dorsal arms . . 42 



Extreme length of fins . . . . . . 15 



Width of body . . . . . . . . . . 11 



Width across fins . . . . . . . . 26 



Width across eyes . . . . . . . . 11 



Length of right dorsal arm . . . . . . 19 



Length of left dorsal arm . . . . . . 19 



Length of right second arm . . . . . . 22 



Length of left second arm . . . . . . 22 



Length of right third arm . . . . . . 20 



Length of left third arm . . . . . . 20 



Length of right ventral arm . . . . . . 24 



Length of left ventral arm . . . . . . 23 



Length of right tentacle . . . . . . 40 



Length of left tentacle . . . . . . 48 



Length of tentacle-club . . . . . . 7 



In its general organization A. astrolineata represents a type so different 

 from all other Abralias as to scarcely require any special comparison with 

 any of them. Its most conspicuous distinctive feature is undoubtedly to 

 be found in the beautiful banded arrangements of the photogenic organs 

 on the ventral surface of the mantle, but an even more interesting feature 

 appears in the structure of the ventral arms. These show a condition 

 almost exactly intermediate between the highly modified ventral-arm tips 

 of Abraliopsis and the normal state of affairs in Abralia. thus in large degree 

 tending to break down in a most important particular the distinction 

 between the two groups. While the ventral arms in this species bear true 

 suckers at their extremities, differing from those of the other arms in no 

 (apparent) essential particular save their smaller number, each bears at 

 its very tip a series of 3 very minute heavily pigmented photophores, 

 which, despite their poorer development, are very obviously homologous 

 with the curious swollen terminal photophores of Abraliopsis. As in the 

 latter genus also, there are but 3 row ; of photogenic organs along the 

 basal portion of the ventral arms, although the buccal membrane and ten- 

 tacular armature are those of the usual Abralia. The reader has perhaps 

 noticed that in a number of particulars A. astrolineata agrees very curiously 

 with A. astrosticta of the Hawaiian Islands ; but it has nevertheless a totally 

 different aspect, and undoubtedly belongs to another group, the much 

 larger fins and different distribution of the pallial photogenic organs being 

 among the more obvious differences. The latter structures are also more 

 numerous and much less conspicuously dimorphic than in astrosticta. 



