207 



Tritonia Palmeri, n. sp. 



Sp. ch. — Form ovate, anteriorly subquadrate, posteriorly rounded, 

 the back sloping down from the head backwards to a tliin margin 

 wliich is reflected upwards, forming the foliated branchiae ; these 

 extending around nearly the entire upper margin. Whole animal 

 translucent and pale-reddish bro^vn. United tentacles, expanded 

 into a broad thin membrane in front of head, squared and fimbri- 

 cated, resembhng part of the branchiae. Dorsal tentacles (eyes ?) 

 widely apart, large, and pedunculated, the peduncles enclosed in a 

 membranous sheath. Foot rather broader than back, strongly 

 adhering to any surface. Length, 2i inches ; breadth, li inches. 

 Corneous jaws very large and strong, the only opaque or hard part 

 of the animal. Teeth very nvunerous, inserted like a pavement 

 behind the jaws, with an arrangement like the plume of an ostrich 

 feather from left to right. 



This singular animal was numerous at San Diego in the same 

 locahties and season as the Diphyllidia. It comes nearer to Tritonia 

 than to any other genus. I have named it after Mr. Edward Pal- 

 mer, a zealous naturahst who assisted me while at San Diego. 

 Judging from the recorded habits of the genus, they inhabit float 

 ing algae, and are carnivorous — though the specimens I found were 

 crawling on the sand. 



Dr. Ayres read the following brief statement : 



In September, 1854, (Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sciences, vol. I, 

 p. 7) I pubhshed a notice of a species of Sebastes, to which I 

 apphed the specific name ruber. Shortly before that date Mr. 

 Girard had characterized jSebastes rosaceus (Pro. Phil. Acad. Nat. 

 Sciences, vol. VII, p. 146) ; in P. R. R. Rep., vol. X, p. 78, he gives 

 my ruber as a synonym of his rosaceus. In this he Avas douljtless mis- 

 led by the color, as the two species have little close resemblance m 

 any other respect. They belong in fact to what must now be 

 recognized as two distinct genera. His species is of the smooth 

 headed type ; mme is of that division in which the head is ridged 

 and spinous. A figure of each is here given. Their points of dif- 

 ference are at once seen. I may remark that the figures are accu- 

 rate, and may be trusted for comparison by means of measurement. 



Sebastes ruber grows to a greater size than any other species of the 

 group in our waters, sometimes weighing twenty-five pomids, and 

 reported by the fishermen as larger still ; while aS'. rosaceus seldom 

 exceeds five or six pomids. 



Sebastodes rosaceus, Gu'. Fig. 62. 

 Sebastes ruber, Ayres, Fig. 63. 



