CHIROTEUTHIDJE '. CHIROTEUTHIS. 43 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



1. Chiroteuthis. Arms free; cartilages of the mantle dilated 



below. Rings of cups contracted in the middle. Shell slender, 

 dilated at each end. 



2. Histioteuthis. Three upper pairs of sessile arms webbed 



nearly to the end ; cartilages of mantle linear, elongate. Rings 

 of cups convex externally. Shell broad, pennate. 



A. Shell narrow, rather dilated at each End. Base of long Arms 



with scattered Cups. 



1. CHIROTEUTHIS. 



Body elongate, conical. Fins on the hinder part of the sides of 

 the back. — Head elongate, depressed, narrowed behind the 

 eyes, without any cervical crest. Eyes large, prominent ; aper- 

 ture oval, not contractile. Buccal membrane thin, seven-lobed ; 

 buccal aquiferous apertures six, distinct. — Arms very long. 

 Sessile ones conical, subulate, rounded, webbed at the base; 

 cups very small globular, oblique, strongly peduncled, in two 

 alternate lines ; ring very oblique, with a circular depression. 

 Tentacular arms exceedingly long, very slender, cylindrical; 

 with small alternate cups scattered on their whole length. Club 

 lanceolate, terminating in a fleshy cup; sides with a broad mem- 

 brane ; cups in four rows, on long cylindrical peduncles swollen 

 at the end, and bearing a second pedicle carrying a hood-like 

 horny ring edged at the base, with a lateral aperture armed with 

 teeth. — Siphuncle short, without superior band or valve. > The 

 cartilage on the side of the siphuncle oval, transverse, with a 

 large tubercle on each side of the oblong cavity ; mantle with 

 an oblong cartilage, larger beneath, and with a pit on each side to 

 receive the tubercles on the siphuncle. — Shell internal, horny, 

 very slender, slightly dilated into a narrow lanceolate expansion 

 at each end. 



Chiroteuthis If Orb. Cephal. Acetah. 1839, Ann. Sci. Nat. xvi. 



1841 ; accidentally confounded with Cirroteuthis Gray, P. Z. 



Soc. 1847, 205. 

 Loligopsis sp. Feruss. Mag. Zool. 1834; Verany, Acad. Torino. 



1, Chiroteuthis Veranyi. 



Body smooth: fins semicircular, together heart-shaped. Head 



large. Sessile arms very large, rounded, acuminate, unequal; 



order of length, 4, 3, 2, 1 ; rings of the three upper pairs with 



very close acute teeth, longest on the broader side. Tentacular 



