TROPICAL PACIFIC HOLOTHURIOIDEA. 1">1 



Actinopyga lecanora. 



Mulleria lecanora Jakckii, 1S33. IV Holotlmriis, p. IS. 

 Actinopyga lecanora Bronn, I860. Thierreich, 3, p. 103. 



A specimen of this wide-spread Indopacific species was taken February 3, 

 1905, at Manga Reva, Pauniotu Islands, on the coral reef, thus extending the 

 known range far to the southeastward. The specimen is now very strongly 

 contracted but the specific characters are distinguishable without difficulty. 



Actinopyga mauritiana. 



MvMeria mauritiana Quoy kt Gaimaud, 1S33. Astrolabe Zonph., p. 138. 

 Idinopyga mauritiana Fisher, 1007. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 32, p. (548. 



It is rather remarkable that while the 1899-1900 expedition brought home 

 six specimens of this well-known species from at least four islands in the Society 

 and Pauniotu groups, the species was apparently not met with by the later 

 expedition, although the latter took the preceding species at Manga Reva. 

 The specimens are chiefly large adults but the one from Fakarava is only 20 

 mm. long and one from Papeete is less than half grown. The latter is notable 

 for being colored like lecanora, the area around the anus being abruptly and con- 

 spicuously lighter than the ground-color of the body. The smallest specimen 

 is of unusual interest because there are few grains in the ventral skin and the 

 rods there are larger than those of the dorsal surface. If the identification of 

 this specimen is correct, the characteristic ventral grains do not appear until 

 the animal is more than 20 mm. long. No doubt the growth-stages of this Acti- 

 nopyga would afford a very interesting study. The specimens in the present 

 collection were taken at: — 



Rangiroa, Paumotus, September 23, 1899. 

 Papeete, Tahiti, Society Islands, September 28, 1899. 

 Makatea, Paumotus, October 6, 1899. 

 Fakarava, Paumotus, October 12, 1899. 



Actinopyga parvula. 



Mulleria parvula Selenka, 1867. Zeits. f. w. Zool., 17, p. 314. 

 Actinopyga parvula Fisher, 1907. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 32, p. 645. 



There are sixteen small specimens 15-35 mm. long, collected at Easter 

 Island, December 20, 1904, which seem to belong to this remarkably wide-spread 

 species. The color ranges from brown to almost black dorsally, but is gener- 

 ally lighter ventrally. Some specimens show distinct blotches of darker color 

 on the back. All the specimens have anal teeth but all five teeth are not equally 

 developed in every case. This little holothurian is certainly a puzzle. It 



