NUDIBRANCHIATA. 571 



glands, which are often diffused and ramified throughout the body. But the details of 

 structure seem to vary in the different genera and even species. 



Gen. Hermaea Lov. 



Small animals resembling Aeolids in shape but without oral tentacles. Foot long and 

 narrow with round expanded anterior corners. Rhinophores canaliculate. Cerata elongate or 

 slightly fusiform, an-anged somewhat irregularly at the sides of the back. Hepatic trunks 

 elaborately ramified in the cerata and dorsal integuments. Anal papilla large, medio-dorsal. 

 Genital orifices distinct, at base of rhinophores. Albumen-gland diffused and in some species 

 at least ramified in cerata. Verge generally armed with a spinel 



33. Hermaea 1 minor B. 



One specimen from the Laccadives, Minikoi. Length 3 mm. : breadth 4 mm. On the 

 label is written " Green nudibranch " : the preserved specimen is of the usual dirty yellow. 

 The centre of the back bears no cerata, but on the sides are about 20 rows containing 

 2 to 4 papillae each. The cerata are elongate, fusiform, and besides the hepatic ramifica- 

 tions contain other glands, the openings of which form tubercles on the exterior surface. 

 The teeth appeared to be 11 in all, exclusive of those in the bag, transparent, and very 

 narrow. I could not discover more than two genital openings, and there appears to be no 

 hook or spine on the verge. 



I think this specimen probably belongs to a species which I have found abundantly 

 at Zanzibar, and which is perhaps identical with Bergh's H. minor from Mauritius. The 

 colour does not quite correspond with the descriptions of Bergh's two specimens, which are 

 said to have had the cerata tipped with red. My specimens varied from brown to white, 

 and in captivity tended to assume the latter colour. The prevailing tint of the newly- 

 captured animals was however green, the body walls being pale translucent green, and the 

 hepatic ramifications dark bright green. The eyes were distinct on a yellow spot. The 

 cerata were not tipped with red, but some specimens had splashes of carmine on the back. 

 I append a drawing made from life by Mr Crossland (fig. 9). 



It is possible that these specimens may after all not be identical mth H. minor, for 

 they had never more than 4 cerata in a row, whereas the latter is said to have as many 

 as 10. 



Fam. Phyllobranchidae^ 



The animals belonging to this femily can easily be recognised by their flat shape and 

 leaf-like cerata. 



There is a small frontal veil, above which rise two bifid canaliculate rhinophores. 

 Small canaliculate oval tentacles are generally present. The sides of the back are covered 

 with thick rows of large, flat, leaf-like cerata, which generally, if not always, contain hepatic 

 diverticula. Anal papilla large, dorsal, or lateral. No cnidocysts. Genital apertures two: ^ on 



' The genus has been subdivided as follows : (1) Hermaea Pelseneer has also pointed out remarkable differences between 



sens, stric. Teeth smooth, liver ramified within cerata : veut Hermaea dendritica and Hermaea bifida. 

 median dorsal. (2) Hermaeina Trin. Teeth denticulate on - A. and H., Notes on a Coll. of Nud. Moll, viade in India. 



lower edge. (3) Placida Trin. Hepatic lobes not ramified Bergh, S. E. ii., xvi. Beitr. zur Kennt. der Aeolid. iv. 



within cerata. (4) Hermaeopsis A. da Costa. Veut lateral. Pelseneer, Recherches sur divers Opisthobranches, p. 51. 



73—2 



