Boone, Echinodermata, Cruises of "Eagle" and "Ara," 1921-28 159 



Order: DENDROCHIROTA. 

 Family : CUCUMARIIDAE. 



Subfamily : Cucumiinae. 



Genus: CUCUMARIA Blainville. 



Cucumaria plauci von Marenzeller. 



Plate 101 and text figure 9. 



Type: Von Marenzeller 's type came from the Mediterranean. The 

 type depository is not stated. 



Distribution: Bathymetrical occurrence 15 to 175 meters; usually 

 found on muddy bottom. This species is found abundantly in the 

 Mediterranean Sea and on the Atlantic coast of Portugal; in the 

 British Isles as far north as the Clyde ; on the west African coast at 

 Senegal. 



Material examined : One specimen, dredged in 35 fms., five miles 

 N. E. by N. of Cape Carthage, Gulf of Tunis, Mediterranean Sea, 

 July 21, 1927. One specimen, dredged in 19 fms., grassy bottom, ten 

 miles S. of Cagliari, Sardinia, July 23, 1927, Cat. no. 235. 



Color: Brownish, irregularly spotted with darker brown. 



Life history : Dr. Mortensen states that the development is direct, 

 without a pelagic larval stage. 



Discussion: The single specimen taken by the "Ara" agrees in all 

 essentials with Dr. Koehler's excellent description and figure of the 

 species. In its retracted state the holothurian before me measures 

 6.5 cm. long; Dr. Koehler records specimens 15 cm. long with a thick- 



Text fig. 9. — Cucumaria planci von Marenzeller, button-like deposits from the 

 skin, greatly enlarged. (After Mortensen.) 



ness of 3 to 3.5 cm. The body is somewhat cylindrical, prismatic with 

 five sides; the retractile tube-feet are in distinct double series in the 

 five ambulacra. The encasing skin is smooth, thick and leathery. The 



