Species of British Echinodermata. Ill 



one of which is anchor-headed. Oral plates with papuliferous 

 margins. No papillary spines at the tentacular pores. 



Ophiopeltis securigera, Duben & Koren. 



1846. Ophiopeltis securigera, Von Diiben & Koren, Oversigt af Seandina- 

 viens Echinodermcr, p. 236, pi. 6. figs. 3-6. 



1861. Ophiopeltis securigera, Sars, Oversigt af Norges Echinodermer, 

 p. 14. 



Disk having the radiating scales long, narrow, and parallel. 

 Arms extremely long and very slender; upper scales trian- 

 gular, lower cordate; lateral scales bearing three spines, of 

 which the upper and lower are simple; but the middle is 

 much swollen in the centre, and apically produced into an 

 anchor- or, rather, axe-formed semicircular head, having a 

 jagged edge. Disk greyish ; arms bright orange. 



A single specimen of this most interesting addition to our 

 fauna was dredged in 1861, by Mr. Jeffreys and myself, on the 

 haddock-ground about six miles to the north of the Whalsey 

 Lighthouse, Shetland, in 40-50 fathoms. The species had, 

 previously to the date just mentioned, been inserted as British 

 in the " List of British Marine Invertebrate Fauna" published by 

 the British Association ; but, as far as we can learn, at that time 

 it had not been taken in our seas ; and it would seem that the 

 name was inserted by mistake for A. Chiajii. 



The arms of these species are more flexible than those of any 

 other Echinoderm with which we are acquainted. They are 

 commonly coiled upon themselves in many complete circles. 



Genus VII. Ophiocoma, Agassiz, 1834. 



Disk uniformly granular ; no radiating plates over the base 

 of the arms. Arms simple, covered with imbricated scales ; 

 spines of lateral plates spreading, very long, and serrated at the 

 tips. Oral plates with papuliferous margins, the papilla? long 

 and erect. One or two valvular scales at each tentacular pore. 



Ophiocoma nigra (0. F. Muller). 



1789. Asterias nigra, Muller, Zool. Dan. vol. iii. p. 20, pi. 93. figs. 1-4. 

 1828. Ophiura granulata, Fleming, British Animals, p. 488. 



British and Scandinavian. Found all round our coasts, 

 though somewhat local. 



Genus VIII. Ophiopholis, Muller & Troschel, 1840. 



Disk ornamented with rosulated scales, between which the 

 surface is covered with very numerous close-set tubercles ; no 

 radiating plates over the base of the arms. Arms covered with 



