AMPHIURA. 119 



2. Amphiura filiformis. 



Asterias filiformis, 0. F. Mull. Prod, Zool. Dan. (177G) p. 235, 



no. 2843 ; id. Zool. Dan. ii. (1788) p. 24, pi. lix. 

 Ophiura filiformis, Nilss. Coll. Zool. Scan. (1817) p. 15. 

 Ophioconia filiformis, Forbes, Brit. Star/. (1840) p. 40 ; Thomjjson, 



Nat. Hist. Irel. iv. (1850) p. 437. 

 Ophiolepis filiformis, M. Tr. Syst. Ast. (1842) p. 94 ; Gray, Brit. 



Bad. (1848) p. 24. 

 Amphiura filiformis, Forbes, Tr. Linn. Soc. Bond, xix. (1843) 



p. 151 ; Sars, Nyt Maq. x. (1859) p. 28 ; Biitk. Vid. Sclsk. Skrift. 



v. (1859) p. 56, pi. ii. fig. 11 ; Duj. $,- Hup. Echin. (1802) p. 254 ; 



Byman, III. Cat. Mus. C. Z. i. (1865) p. 115; Norman, Ann. § 



May. xv. (I860) p. 107 ; Bjunyman, CEfv. K. Vet.-Akad. Fork. 



1866 (1867), p. 321 ; Heller, Zoophyt. u. Echin. Adriat. 1868, 



p. (i0 ; Byman, Bull. Mus. C. Z. viii. (1875 ) pi. v. fig. 63 ; Bud- 



wiy, Mitth. zool, Stat. Neapel, i. (1879) p. 548 ; Cams, Prod. Faun. 



Med. (1884) p. 94 ; Fjelstrup, Zool. Dan. Pigh. (1890) p. 27, pi. iii. 



fiff. 1. 



*e ■ 



A species often confounded with A. cluajii, but distinguished 

 from it by the softness of the ventral surface of the disk, owing to 

 the reduction or absence of the scales, and by the absence of 

 tentacle-scales. Further, there is never a prominent rosette of a 

 central and five other scales, and some of the arm-spines sometimes 

 have a minute cross-piece. The arms are longer, and the radial 

 plates are narrower and set more parallel to one another. 



Colour, when dry, brownish. 



Much more difficult to preserve satisfactorily than A. cMajii. 



Variation probably considerable. 



Distribution. Eastern side of North Atlantic ; Mediterranean. 

 0-120 fins. 



a, b. Loch Etive. John Murray, Esq. 



c. Firth of Clyde. Prof. E. Forbes. 



d, e. Kenmare River. Sir P. Egerton. 



/. Scotland. Dr. Melvill. 



y. ? Prof. E. Forbes. 



3. Amphiura elegans. 



Ophiura elegans, Beach, Zool. Misc. ii. (1815) p. 57. 



Asterias squaruata, Delle Chiaje, Mem. An. Nap. iii. (1828) p. 77, 

 pi. xxxiv. fig. 1. 



Ophiura neglecta, Johnston, May. Nat. Hist, viii. (1835) p. 467 ; 

 Forbes, Mem. Wern. Soc. viii. (1839) p. 126 ; id, Brit. Star/. (1840) 

 p. 30 ; Thompson, Nat. Hist. Ireland, iv. (1856) p. 437. 



Ophiolepis squaruata, M . Tr. Arch. f. Nat. vi. (1840) p. 328 ; iid, 

 Syst. Ast. (1842) p. 92 ; Sars, Nyt May. x. (1859) p. 28. 



Amphiura neglecta, Forbes, Tr. Linn. Soc. xix. (1843) p. 150 ; Herd- 

 man, Proc. R. Phys. Soc. Ed. v. (1880) p. 201. 



Ophiolepis tenuis, Ayres, Proc. Bost. Soc. N. H. iv. (1851 [4]) p. 133. 



Amphiura tenuis, Byman, op. cit. vii. (1860 [1]) p. 194. 



Amphiura squaruata, Sars, Nory. Ech. (1861) p. 21 ; Byman. III. 

 Cat, M. C.Z. i. (1865) p. 121 ; Jarzynsky, Trans. Petersb. Soc. 

 Nat. i. (1870) p. 318; Panceri, Att. Ace. Sci. Nap. vii. (1878) 



