On a new Iloloihurian from Bermuda. 405 



XXXVI. — Occurrence of a TTolothnrmn neio to the Fauna of 

 Bermuda. By W. J. CkOZIER. 



{Contributions from the Bermuda Biological Station for 

 Research. — No. 61.) 



The West-Tndian affinities of the Bermudan fauna and flora 

 (Britton, 1912, p. 19-}) have been evident to every student 

 of these regions ; yet, a« Pilsbry (1900, p. 494) remarks in 

 considering the Pulmonates, there is " abundant evidence of 

 what we call chance, or the rigorous selective action of an 

 over-sea journey, in the Berrnudian assemblage." Con- 

 tinued collecting is disclosing further additions to the marine 

 population in the shape of species identical with well-known 

 West-Indian forms *. In one such case, which is the subject 

 of tliis note, it seems to me tiiat the addition may legiti- 

 mately be considered as of recent date. 



The pedate Holothurians of Bermuda waters liave been 

 collected ever since 1883 by Heilprin, Verrill, Clark (1901), 

 and others. Each of the five species previously reported 

 {Cucumaria punctata, Sfiehopus vibhii, Holothuria surinam- 

 ensis, H. capfiva, and //. rathhuni) is well represented in 

 the West-Indian area. Certain conspicuous Antillean types 

 have, however, been lacking in the Bermudan collections ; 

 Actinopyga and several species of Holothuria are in this 

 category f. 



I have had occasion to examine with care several thousand 

 specimens of Stichopus mobii, Semp. — with which, on super- 

 ficial examination, Actinopyga might conceivably be con- 

 fused, — and have, indeed, given particular attention to Holo- 

 thurians collected at many points in Bermuda, No unusual 

 specimens were observed until July 3, 1916, when there was 

 secured from a depth of about 6 feet beneath low water, in 

 the channel entrance to Hungry Bay (on the exposed south 



* Amon^ the Enteropiieusta, for example, of wliicli an illustrated 

 account is in course of preparation, at least two of the four or more 

 species which I have found occur also in the Bahamas and at Jamaica, 

 as well (probably) aa at other stations in the West Indies. 



t Of the five apodous species found here (Clark, 1907), only two 

 {Chirodota rutifera and Synaptnla hydriformis) are typically West-< 

 Indian, while two others {Leptosynapta inhcBrens and i. roseola) are 

 northern forms ; the remaining- one {L. acanthia) appears to be peculia,r 

 to the Bermudas. 



