OPHIUROIDEA OF THE BAHAMA EXPEDITION. 5 



Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., X, p. 230. Verrill, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. 

 Hist., X, p. 339, 1866; Report on Invert. Vineyard Sound, etc., p. 

 719, [363], 1873. 



A variety, taken at the Tortugas, has the oral plates wider 

 than usual. Its disk is green and the arms are banded. 



A variety from Bahia Honda has narrower oral plates. Its 

 disk is white, the arms greenish. 



Several other marked varieties of this species occur. The 

 northern form ( O. olivacea), formerly considered a distinct 

 species, has been treated as a synonym by Lyman in his later 

 works. It seems to be, at least, a well marked variety. 



The variety olivacea ranges from the south side of Cape 

 Cod and Vineyard Sound to Charleston, S. C. It is com- 

 mon at Fort Macon, N. C. It is usually found in sheltered 

 localities among eel-grass (Zostera). 



Tortugas and Bahia Honda. 



If all the forms united under this species by Mr. Lyman 

 belong together, it ranges from Cape Cod to Bahia, Brazil. 



The typical variety is common at Key West and through- 

 out the West Indies, and also occurs at the Bermudas. 



Ophiura brevicauda [L.iitk.\ Lyman. 



Ophioderma variegata Duch. & Mich., Rad. Antill., 1850 (/. Lyman 

 non Etk). 



Ophioderma brevicauda Eutken, Vid. Meddel., Jan., 1856, p. 8; Add. 

 ad. Hist. Ophiur., Pt. II, p. 94, pi. 1, fig-. 3. 



Ophiura brevicauda Lyman, 111. Cat. Mus. Com. Zool., I, p. 16, 1865. 

 Verrill, Notes on Radiata, Trans. Conn. Acad., I, p. 342, 1868. Ey- 

 man, Report Voy. Challenger, Zool. Ophiuroidea, V, p. 9, 1882. 



The only specimen in the collection, referred to this species, 

 has the arms longer and more slender than usual, with more 

 slender arm-spines and finer granules. 



Egg Key. One example. 



Common at the Florida Keys and throughout the West 

 Indies in shallow water. Colon (Bradley). 



