NO. 2 DEICHMANN : HOLOTHURIOIDEA ; PART II, ASPIDOCHIROTA 311 



Color ranging from coal black to mottled gray, or with a dark upper 

 side, or reddish to dull gray. Shallow water forms, mostly lying freely 

 exposed in the lagoons. 



Type species: Holothuria atra Jaeger. 



Remarks: Panning's group is accepted with minor changes. It 

 consists of three West Indian species and two Indo-Pacific forms; the 

 latter are the widespread type species, which reaches the Panamic region, 

 and Ludwigothuria kefersteini (Selenka), which appears to be endemic 

 there. 



As there seems to be some misunderstanding about Ludwigothuria 

 atra and its occurrence in the West Indian waters, a key is given to all 

 five species. 



Key to the species of the genus Ludwigothuria 



1. Spicules mostly as simple rosettes. Numerous stone canals. . 2 



1. Spicules mostly as small plates with large to small holes. . . 3 



2. Smooth-skinned, color uniformly dark brown or black. Rosettes 

 scattered, chiefly derived from forked rods, often forming oval 

 plates with four holes. Indo-Pacific. . . atra (Jaeger) 



2. Rarely completely brown or black, mostly grayish-yellow, mot- 

 tled with large dark blotches. Area around base of appendages, 

 if black, usually with white specks, due to the accumulated 

 rosettes. The latter chiefly derived from 3-armed bodies. West 

 Indian waters floridana (Pourtales) 



3. Stone canal single. Plates with relatively large holes and often 

 with short blunt teeth along the edge. Speckled white, black, 

 and gray*; dorsal side often strongly warted. West Indian 

 waters, Brazil, West Africa. . . . grisea (Selenka) 



3. Numerous stone canals 4 



4. Smooth, thick-skinned form, rarely with indication of warts. 

 Spicules mostly minute plates with small holes, derived from 3- 

 armed rosettes. Usually dark brown dorsal side and pale under- 

 side. West Indies mexicana (Ludwig) 



4. Not particularly smooth or thick-skinned form, usually with 

 well pronounced warts on the dorsum. Spicules in inner layer 

 a few plates with large holes and usually with blunt teeth along 

 the margin. Color reddish to almost black or fading to a dull 

 grayish, with tips of appendages dark. Panamic region. . . 

 kefersteini (Selenka) 



*Fisher indicates that it is a harlequin of bits of color in life but fades to a 

 "salt and pepper" effect in alcohol. (Deichmann, 1926) 



