ACTINOPODOrS HOLOTHURIOIDEA. 



01 



Description : — Tentacles 20. Body aliotit a foot long. A"en- 

 tral surface uniformly brown or dark olive. Dorsum dark gray, 

 here and there lighter; with numerous large, almost black, sharp- 

 ly marked circles arranged more or loss in longitudinal rows. 

 Often two or more circles are united so as to form irregular 

 figures. The circles are always surrounded by a whitish space, 

 and are especially blac^k in the margin and in the centre, a pa- 

 pilla arising from the latter point. Calcareous deposits numerous, 

 in the form of more or less complete rosettes. Anus not distinctly 

 stellate. Polian vesicles two. Cuvierian tul)es very numerous. 



Remarks : — On account of the characteristic markings of the 

 dorsal surface, this is one of the easiest species to identify. It is 

 tolerably common in the Okinawa group and in Amami-Oshima. 

 The animal lives among coral stocks at a depth of 3 — fi fath- 

 oms. In the fresh state two individuals measured, when some- 

 what contracted, 30 cm. in length and 1 1 em. in breadth, so that 

 in a fully expanded state they must have ])een much largtT. In 

 alcohol, individuals measure 14 — 10 cm. in length and fi — U cm. in 

 width. In life, the dorsum is of an ashy white ground color, and 

 on it are scattered the numerous characteristic circular argus spots 

 4 — 7 mm. in diameter. On each of the lines coiresixmding roughly 



