THE APODOUS HOLOTHURIANS 75 



Opheodesoma SPECTABILIS. 



Oplicodesoma spectaMis Fisher, 1907, p. 733; pi. lxvi. Calcareous particles and ana- 

 tomical details, pi. lxxx, figs. 1, la-d; pi. lxxxi. fig. 2. 



Length. — 300-650 mm. 



Color. — "In life, reddish-orange spotted with brown, the brown forming 

 transverse more or less interrupted bands ; ventral surface posteriorly grayish, 

 spotted with whitish and barred with dark gray. Tentacles, dark dull greenish" 

 (Fisher). 



Distribution. — Hawaiian Islands (Fisher). 



Remarks. — In view of Fisher's excellent description of this species and 

 his critical comparison of it with glabra, 1 am inclined to suspend judgment and 

 await further material before deciding that the two species are identical. I 

 have to thank Dr. Fisher for sending me an excellent specimen of this most 

 interesting form, which he reports as vexy common in Pearl Harbor, near 

 Honolulu. 



Opheodesoma grtsea. 



Synapta grisea Semper, 1868, p. 11. Calcareous ring and particles, pi. iv, figs. 6 and 7. 

 Euapta grisea Ostergren, 1898&. 

 Opheodesoma grisea Fisher, 1907. 



Length. — 300-900 mm., with diameter 20-25 mm. 



Color. — Mottled dusky greenish and bluish gray, with narrow dusky lines 

 and irregular spots, the radii appearing as clearer stripes. Sluiter ('94) de- 

 scribes a white variety from Thursday Island, but it is possible the specimens 

 had bleached in the preserving fluid. 



Distribution. — Reported from Bohol, Philippines (Semper); Bay at Bata- 

 via, Samoa, Timor, Bima, Pater Noster Islands, Sawan and Saleh, D. E. I. 

 (Sluiter); Thursday Island, Torres Strait (Sluiter); Fitzroy Island, Queens- 

 land (Bell); and Bowen, . Queensland (Theel). Probably with the same dis- 

 tribution as godeffroyi, though not yet reported so far east or west. 



Remarks. — Were it not for Sluiter's ('88) opinion to the contrary, I should 

 have no hesitation in pronouncing this species identical with the next, but as 

 he has had abundant opportunities for comparing them, I yield to his judg- 

 ment. The difference in color is hardly of primary importance, while the dif- 

 ference, so often referred to in the calcareous rings, is very intangible. The 

 figure of grisea given by Semper ('68) is sufficiently different from that given 

 for serpe«im« by Miiller ('54), but Sluiter ('88) particularly says that in 

 grisea the anterior prolongations are as long as the rest of the ring is high, 

 thus making the whole structure like Miiller's figure. This species seems to be 

 a common reef-frequenting form in the East Indies aud along the northern 

 and eastern coasts of Australia, but nothing is recorded of its habits. 



