AT THE LOYALTY ISLANDS AND NEW BRITAIN. 153 



I. Genus. ASPIDOSIPHON, Grube. 



1. Aspidosiphon elegans Cham, and Eysenh. (I.) 



Three specimens from Lifu, Loyalty Islands. This species was taken by Mr J. 

 Stanley Gardiner at Funafuti, and is described in Selenka's Monograph (II) from the 

 Pacific Ocean, the Philippines, and Koseir. 



2. Aspidosiphon klunzingeri Sel. and Billow. (VIII.) 



One specimen, measuring 3 cms. from the posterior shield to the base of the 

 introvert. The latter measured in a partially retracted condition 15 cm. The breadth 

 of the body is 1 cm. 



This species was described by Selenka and von Bulow from three specimens collected 

 by Klunzinger at Koseir. I have described another specimen collected by Mr J. Stanley 

 Gardiner at Funafuti, and as I know of no specimen being figured, I have added a 

 sketch. (Fig. 1.) The species is also recorded by Dr W. Fischer 1 from Amboyna in 

 the Moln 



3. Aspidosiphon ravus Sluiter. (XII.) 



Several specimens of the interesting species were found at Sandal Bay, Lifu. 

 As Sluiter gives no illustrations of the external appearance of this animal, I have 

 added a couple of figures. I append a few notes which amplify the account we owe 

 to the Dutch naturalist. The continuous sheet of longitudinal muscles breaks up 

 anteriorly into a number of anastomosing bundles. Along the ventral middle line on 

 each side of the nerve-cord the muscles of the skin were, in the specimen opened, very 

 thin so that an attenuated transparent strip of integument marked the neural surface. 

 (Fig. 2.) A similar strip was visible externally in some of the other specimens, but 

 not in all. The nephridia were long and each was attached by a posterior muscle to 

 the body-wall. 



The most interesting feature in the species is the presence of numerous dark brown 

 spines on the base of the proboscis, arranged in irregular rows. (Fig. 3.) Sluiter has 

 figured one of these, they are not hooks but horny spines, and disappear at the level 

 where the rows of hooks make their appearance. 



•i. Aspidosiphon steenstrupii Diesing. (II.) 



Several specimens from Sandal Bay, Lifu, Loyalty Islands, some with their introverts 

 fully expanded and their tentacles spread out. All the specimens were young and showed 

 hardly any trace of calcification in the anterior shield. 



A peculiarity of this species is that the cuticle very readily separates from the 

 underlying skin, and often projects from the posterior end of the body for a length 

 at least equal to that of the trunk. The cuticle is transparent and bears on it the 

 outlines of the papillae and their pores. 



1 Semon's Zoologisehe Forschungsreisen in Australien und den Halayiscken Arehipel, Bd. v., Lief, in, 1896, 

 p. 338. 



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