'92 " ENDEAVOUR " SCIENTIFIC RESULTS. 



Ophiothrix spongicola, Stimpson. 



Ophiothrix spongicola, Stimpson, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 

 Philadelphia, vii., 1855, p. 385. 



These are typical specimens of this handsome and charac- 

 teristically Australian species. It seems to me quite possible, 

 however, that 0. jumaria is really the proper name for this 

 species, Miiller and Troschel's type having very probably been 

 brought to Paris from Port Jackson, but never having had a 

 locality label. Koehler's careful description of it and his 

 figures apply very closely to this species, more closely than 

 to the specimen Mr. Lyman has called 0. jumaria. In the 

 ultimate revision of the genus, this matter should be given 

 critical attention. Three specimens. 



Locs. — Shoalhaven Bight, New South Wales, 15-45 fathoms. 



Fifteen miles north-west of Cape Jervis, South Australia, 

 17 fathoms. 



Genus Ophiothela, Verrill. 

 Ophiothela hadra, H. L. Clark. 



Ophiothela Jmdra, H. L. Clark, Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool. 

 Harvard, xxv., 1915, p. 284. 



This is another species, previously known only from the 

 holotype taken at the Murray Islands, Torres Strait. The 

 present series shows that the original was immature, and the 

 arms are not unusually short and stout in adults, though the 

 general form is rather robust. The largest specimen at hand 

 is 3 mm. across the disk and the arms are 10-11 mm. long. 

 Only the smallest specimens are as hght as the holotype, aU 

 the larger specimens being prettily variegated with dull deep 

 bluish, pink and pale cream-colour ; the centre of the disk, 

 the sides of the arms and the arm spines are pink ; but there is 

 some diversity. There is also some diversity in the armature 

 of the disk, the larger interradial spine-like granules being 

 often wanting. The oral shields are very small, nearly 

 circular, white ; adoral plates larger than oral shield, but quite 

 similar in form and colour, perfectly smooth, in close contact 

 with each other. There are 5 arm spines at base of arm. 

 The knobs on the upper arm plates are conspicuous. AU of 

 these specimens were taken from the primary spines of 

 Sea-urchins [Prionocidaris australis) ; most of the smaller ones 

 are reproducing by fission and have only 2, 3 or 4 rays, but the 

 adults are symmetrically 6-rayed. 



Loc. — Eleven miles south-east of Ballina, New South Wales, 

 27-29 fathoms. 



