ARTICLE VIII.— ON A SMAl.L COLLKCTlON (IF HOLDTHIJitlANS 

 FHOM THK AUCKLAND ISLANDS. 



By Arthcr Dexdy, D.Sc, F.R.8., Sec. Linn. Soc-., Hon. Meml)er of the New Zealand Institute, 

 Professor of Zoology in King's College (University of Lonilon). 



PLATE VI. 



Although small, this collection is of very considerable interest from two points 

 of view. Of the three species obtained, two — Cucumnria leonina and C. hrevidentis 

 — occur also in the South American fauna, while the third — Chirodota benhnmi — 

 affords useful evidence as to the supposed value of the wheel spicule for purposes 

 of classification. Cucumaria leonina has not been recorded before from the New 

 Zealand area ; C. hrevidentis, var. carnleyensis, is a variety of a very common New 

 Zealand species, and Chirodota henhami is evidently very nearly related to C. dunedin- 

 ensis, which occurs abundantly at Dunedin. 



I wish to express my inclebtedness to my friend Professor Benham. F.R.S., by 

 whom all the specimens were collected, and who has undertaken to see this paper 

 through the press. 



Cucumaria leonina, Semper, var. 

 1868. Cucunuiria lenniiKU Seni[)er, " Reisen im Archipel der I'hilippiuen," Holn- 

 thurien, p. 53, pi. xv, fig. 9. 1868. Cucumaria dubiosa. Semper, op. cit., 

 p. 238, pi. xxxix, fig. 19. 1898. Cucumaria leonina, Ludwig, " Hamburger 

 Magalhaensische Sammelreise," Holothurien. Hamburg, p. 36 (further 

 synonomy and references are given in this paper). 1905. CucuDKiria 

 leonina, Remy Perrier, " Holothuries antarctiques," " Annales des Sciences 

 naturelles," Zool. et Pal., ser. ix, vol. i, p. 25. 

 There are two small specimens in the collection, from Caruley Harbour, which 

 must be referred to this characteristically antarctic but variable species. They were 

 found under stones. The smaller of the two is somewhat damaged l>y rujjture. and 

 the following description is taken entirely from the larger. 



The body (in spirit) is fusiform, the tentacles being entirely retracted. It is 

 truncated anteriorly and blunt behind ; slightly flexed, with the convexity of the 

 curve ventral. The length is 15 mm. and the transver.se diameter in the middle 

 4 mm. The anus is posterior and terminal, surrounded by 5 small reticulate cal- 

 careous nodules (anal teeth) only recognisable under the microscope. The colour 

 in spirit is light grey. The tube-feet are arranged in 5 well-marked, irregularly 

 double, ambulacral bands ; rather more numerous and more prominent in the 3 

 ventral ambulacra than in the 2 dorsal ; especially prominent anteriorly, where the 



