150 Mr. Forbes on the Radiata of the Eastern Mediterranean. 



them in their genus Ophiolepis, synonymous with the Ophiura of Agassiz, and 

 in my History of British Echinodermata I united them with Ophiocoma, with 

 which they have greater affinity, An investigation of many species has in- 

 duced me to regard them as generically distinct, and to define the group as 

 follows : 



Corpus orbiculare, squamosum, laeve, ad peripheriam radiatum; radiis simplicibus squa- 

 mosis, infra discum insertis ; squamis lateralibus subcarinatis spiniferis, spinis simpli- 

 cibus ; ossiculis ovarialibus parvis, oralibus ad latera nudis ; cirrhis simplicibus. 



Three species inhabit the yEgean Sea, one of which is undescribed, viz.: — 



1. Amphiura fiorifera, nov. sp., Forbes. Tab. XIV. fig. 8 — 13. 



A. disco squamis centralibus maximis rosulatis, scutellis ovatis disjunctis, squa- 

 mis radiorum superioribus quadratis : inferioribus 3-lobatis : lateralibus 

 3-spiniferis spinis brevissimis linearibus simplicibus. 



Diam. disc. ^ unc. ; long. rad. T 3 ^ unc. 



Disc round, flat, scaly, the central scales very large and rosulate, those between the shields 

 small and imbricate. Two ovate shields parallel but not touching superiorly, diverging 

 inferiorly opposite the origin of each ray. Upper ray-scales square, lower ones sud- 

 denly narrowed superiorly so as to appear trilobed : lateral ray-plates bearing 3 spines 

 each, which are rather shorter than the breadth of the ray. Ovarian plates small and 

 trilobed. Rays 2| to 3 times as long as the disc is broad. Colour gray, with a pale 

 spot on the upper part of each shield ; arms yellowish- pink. 



This pretty little Starfish was dredged in 100 fathoms water, among corals 

 and Terebratulse, off Ananas Rocks, near the Island of Milo, in August 1842. 



2. Amphiura negiecta. 



A. disco squamis centralibus parvis rosulatis, scutellis oblongis conjunctis, 

 squamis radiorum superioribus quadratis : inferioribus oblongis : laterali- 

 bus 4-5-spiniferis spinis brevibus simplicibus. 



Ophiura negiecta, Johnston, 



Ophiocoma negiecta, Forbes, Brit. Starfishes. 



Ophiolepis, Muller. 



Ophiura squamata, Delle Chiaje (not of Lamarck). 



Diam. disc, -fa ; long. rad. T 4 <j. 



