BROWNE— MEDUSA FROM THE INDIAN OCEAN 183 



These early stages are either identical with or closely related to Pandcea conica 

 (Quoy et Gaimard) which is a common species in the Mediterranean. Vanhoffen (1911) 

 records the occurrence of Tiara {Pandcea) conica, Lesson, in the Agulhas Current, Indian 

 Ocean. 



Genus Heterotiara, Maas, 1905. 



There are two species' belonging to the genus Heterotiara, namely Heterotiara 

 anonyma, Maas (1905) and Heterotiara minor, Vanhoffen (1911). A complete description 

 of Heterotiara anonyma could not be given by Maas as the specimens had lost their 

 tentacles. Vanhoffen on the cruise of the " Valdivia " obtained Heterotiara anonyma as 

 well as Heterotiara minor, and again Heterotiara anonyma was taken without tentacles. 



Bigelow (1909) found, in the material collected by the "Albatross" in the Humboldt 

 Current off Peru, two specimens of a medusa which he has fully described and figured 

 under the name of Heterotiara anonyma. These specimens have their tentacles 

 tapering to a point, and therefore are not like those of Heterotiara minor terminating 

 with a bulb. 



Bigelow (1913) also records Heterotiara anonyma from the Bering Sea, where the 

 "Albatross" obtained many specimens. Their tentacles, however, terminate in a spherical 

 knob much the same as in Heterotiara minor. On the same cruise Heterotiara minor was 

 plentifully found at the Philippines, but the specimens have not yet been fully described. 

 Bigelow states that Heterotiara mirior and Heterotiara anonyma are undoubtedly distinct, 

 " They are separated by the number of tentacles correlated with size, H. anonyma having 

 twelve tentacles (or less) when adult, and reaching a height of 20 mm., whereas H minor 

 has about twice as many tentacles, though much smaller (only about 10 mm. high)." 



Bigelow has described and figured Heterotiara anonyma from off the coast of Peru 

 with tentacles tapering to a point, and from the Bering Sea with tentacles terminating in 

 a bulb, as in Heterotiara minor. It seems to me that either the Peruvian specimens have 

 been inaccurately described or that they belong to another genus, and I am inclined to 

 take the latter view. 



13. Heterotiara minor, Vanhoffen, 1911. 



HeUrotiara minor, Vanhoffen, 1911, p. 212, Taf. 22, fig. 5, Text-fig. 8. 

 Heterotiara minor, Bigelow, 1913, p. 25. 



Locality. Lat. 4° 16' S., Long. 71° 53' E. (North of Chagos). 1200— Ofms. 17 May, 

 1905, C. 1 specimen. 



This single specimen is in fairly good condition. Its umbrella measures 13 mm. in 

 height and 12 mm. in width. The stomach is contracted into folds and hangs free inside 

 the -cavity of the umbrella. There are four radial canals and no centripetal canals. The 

 tentacles are transparent, hollow, and terminate with a large hollow bulb, thickly covered 

 with nematocysts. There are nineteen tentacles, varying slightly in size, the differences 

 being due to age. The tentacles have no definite basal bulbs, but their basal portion is 

 partly embedded in the jelly and situated in grooves on the margin of the umbrella. The 

 specimen resembles Vanhoffen's text-figure 8. 



