236 THE GREAT BARRIER REEF. 



the most valuable commercial varieties. (This species was provisionally associated by the author, 

 in his Queensland Government Report, with the name of Holothiiria riigosd). 



6. Surf Red-fish, Actinopyga inaitrUiaiia. — Body elongate-ovate subcyiindrical, not dis- 

 tinctly corrugated ; ground colour red-brown, with conspicuous white patches of various size and 

 number, interspersed with smaller spots and speckles of the same hue, usually developed along 

 each side, and forming a circum-anal patch ; smaller white specklings often developed on the 

 dorsal surface, but scarcely two individuals marked alike ; under surface brick-red. Length 

 twelve to fifteen inches. Abundant among the surf on the outer edge of the reefs in the 

 central Barrier district. Of high commercial value. 



7. Deep-water Red-fish, Actinopyga echinifcs. — Closely resembling ordinary Red-fish, but 

 having a smoother integument, and inhabiting deep water. A critical examination of living 

 examples of this species has not been made by the author, a single specimen only having been 

 taken with the dredge in Port Denison, and immediately transferred to spirit. Of high com- 

 mercial value. 



8. Ordinary Black-fish, Actinopyga polyuiorpha, n.sp. (Chromo XII., Fig. 6). — Body highly 

 plastic or polymorphic, varying in extension from elongate subcyiindrical to an obtusely ovate 

 or nearly globular shape ; skin smooth in both extension and contraction ; locomotive acetabula 

 disposed in three distinct rows; slender tactile suckers developed throughout the surface of the 

 body ; vent pentagonal with five conspicuous red-brown anal ossicles ; general ground colour of 

 the body, dark seal-browii, or nearly black ; oral tentacles tufted, slightly lighter in colour. 

 Average length, in extension, twelve to fifteen inches. Habitat : Reefs exposed at spring-tides, 

 usually secreting itself in fissures of the coral-rocks and creeping out with the rising tide. 

 Of high commercial value. 



Genus Hoi.othuria. 

 Integument spiculiferous ; vent circular, devoid of conspicuous calcareous ossicles. 



9. Black or ordinary Teat-fish, Holothiiria mammijcra, n.sp. (Plate XXXIV., Fig. 3). — 

 Body in extension elongate, somewhat flattened, obtusely rounded at each extremity, with 

 usually from four to six large, conical protuberances developed at even intervals along each 

 lateral border. Surface of the skin smooth in extension and contraction ; locomotive suckers 

 of the ventral region forming three distinct rows anteriorly, merging with one another 

 posteriorly ; small isolated tactile suckers developed throughout the dorsal surface ; vent 

 circular, devoid of ossicles ; general ground colour of the body, dark grey to black, often 

 irregularly mottled; oral tentacles tufted, light slate-grey; ventral acetabular disks, whitish. 

 Average length when extended, twelve to eighteen inches. Habitat : Usually obtained from 

 deep water on the reefs. The most valuable of the Great Barrier commercial species. 



10. White Teat-fish, Holothiiria niarniorafa, n.sp. — Bod}' in extension elongate, somewhat 

 depressed, pointed posteriorly, with about six, somewhat acutely-pointed, conical protuberances 



