OPHIURANS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 63 



and one may distinguish very short lateral sides. These sides become more con- 

 spicuous on the larger specimen from station 2838, while the proximal angle opening 

 up to 180° is replaced by a distinct side; the lateral margins are divergent and the 

 distal side, very wade and rounded, is sometimes simply convex, sometimes provided 

 with a little median lobe. In a general way, the upper brachial plates are small 

 and narrow at the beginning of the arms, and then they progressively become wider 

 and wider. 



The shape of the under brachial plates has been corn-ctlv indicated by Ljung- 

 man; they are pentagonal, ^vith a truncated proximal angle, and they are somewhat 

 longer than wide (pi. 8, fig. 8). I find again the same shape on all my specimens, 

 but ou tho smaller example from station 28.38 I notice that the proximal angle is 

 more truncated and forms a httle proximal side, whereas, on the larger sample from 

 the same station, this angle becomes so much truncated that there is a distinct 

 proxuual side, and the plates then take a rectangular shape, which they preserve 

 on the whole length of tho arms. 



Ljungman states that the spines amount to six or seven at the basis of the arms, 

 and Verrill saj^s that this number may amount to eight on the largest specimens. 

 In most cases I have observed seven. The first spine is conical, thick at tho basis, 

 with a rounded point, and its length exceeds that of the article. The second one is 

 almost as long, and afterwards tho length decreases with the following ones down to 

 the last dorsal, which is smaller than the article; the last dorsal spines are also 

 somewhat flattened. The second ventral spine is very shghtly incurved, and it 

 most often carries at its end a few exceedingly fine spinules. Generally one of 

 these spinules, located at the distal angle of thi^ spine end, is more developed than 

 the others, and then it constitutes a very smaU lateral hook, which, however, always 

 remains very short; a like structure may also be observed on the two following 

 spines. This hook is more or less apparent according to the specimens. I observe 

 it chiefly on the two specimens from station 898 and on the three specimens from 

 station 2003. 



A. otteri has been reported by Ljungman off th(>. Portuguese coasts (lat. 38° 7' 

 N.; long. 9° 18' W. ; 550 fathoms). The Bhl^e has found it again in the Caribbean 

 Sea between 175 and 576 fathoms; the Challenger has dredged it between 900 and 

 1,250 fathoms, and, according to Verrill, this species reaches, at Marthas Vineyard, 

 as far down as 1 ,608 fathoms. 



AMPHIURA GRANDISQUAMA Lyman. 



See for bibliography: 

 Kcehler (09), p. 177. 



Albatross station 2415. Apr. 1, 1885. Lat. 85° 30' 44" N.; long. 79° 26' W. 

 440 fathoms; co. crs. s. sh. for.; temp. 45.6° F. One specimen. 



Albatross station 2625. Oct. 21, 1885. Lat. 32° 35' N.; long. 77° 30' W. 

 247 fathoms; gy. s. bk. sp. Nine specimens. 



Albatross station 2666. May 5, 1886. Lat. 30° 47' 30" N.; long. 79° 49' W. 

 270 fathoms; gy. s.; temp. 48.3° F. Three specimens. 



Albatross station 2753. Dec. 4, 1887. Lat. 13° 34' N.; long. 61° 03' W. 

 281 fathoms; bk. s. ; temp. 48° F. One specimen. 



