HOYLE: REPORTS ON THE CEPHALOPODA. 23 
The young specimen [H. 129] shows a noticeable resemblance in general 
appearance to the Octopus venustus of Rang ('37, p. 66, Plate 92). This 
authority, however, figures the suckers in two rows, though he adds that 
they are “assez peu apparentes." The resemblance is in any case sufliciently 
strong to raise the interesting question whether the small pelagic forms de- 
scribed as Octopus brevipes Férussac and d’Orbigny (35, p. 22), O. capensis and 
0. dubius Eydoux and Souleyet ('52) may not be allied to Zledonella. 
JAPETELLA. 
Japetella Hoyle, '85 a, p. 231; '86, p. 109. 
24. Japetella prismatica. 
(Plate 5, Figs. 10, 12.) 
Japetelia prismatica Hoyle, '85 a, p. 231; '86, p. 109, Plate 9, Figs. 1, 2. 
Habitat. — Station 3414, off Tehuantepec; April 8, 1891; lat. 10° 14 
N. long. 96° 28’ W., 2232 fathoms ; green mud ; temperature, surface 82°, 
bottom 35.98; one specimen 3, No. 7945 B. [H. 36.] 
I have compared this specimen with the type in the British Museum 
(Natural History) and have satisfied myself that both belong to the same 
species ; there are, however, one or two points which call for special notice. 
In the “ Challenger” Report it is stated (p. 108) that there is a valve in 
the siphon, but I have ascertained by comparison of this example with the 
type that I was misled (as in the case of Eledonella diaphana) by the tip of the 
funnel-organ having become detached, producing a deceptive appearance of 
a valve. The form of the funnel-organ in the “ Challenger” specimen is 
shown in Plate 5, Fig. 12. 
The other point relates to the median septum in the branchial cavity. In the 
* Challenger ” specimen such a septum appeared to be absent, but in the present 
example there is a narrow delicate ridge running along the median ventral 
line of the interior of the mantle, which may be the remains of such a septum, 
though I can find no trace of its attachment to the visceral sac. Led by this 
discovery, I have re-examined the “Challenger” type and find there also 
traces of a similar ridge on the inner surface of the mantle. It seems, there- 
fore, quite within the bounds of possibility that specimens in a better state of 
preservation might show a complete septum, in which case there would be no 
further cause for separating the genera Eledonella and. Japetella. Although I 
think it very probable that in the future these two genera will be united, I 
think it advisable pending further evidence to retain them as distinct. The 
suckers on the third pair of arms of the “ Albatross” specimen are much 
enlarged (Plate 5, Fig. 10), exactly as figured by Verrill (84, Plate 32, Fig. 
2) in the case of Eledonella pygmaea. This is almost certainly a form of hecto- 
cotylization and is an additional point of similarity between these two genera. 
