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160 



THE OPHIURIDiE 







wide as the former- lateral sides straight^ outer corners rounded. The 

 first dorsal plate shorter than those beyond^ and inside that there are seen 

 some very srnall^ narrow, indistinct plates. 



Dorsal side of the disk covered with small, rather thick, overlapping 

 scales, among which the primary plates are scarcely seen. In the inter- 

 brachial spaces there is an irregular median row of a little larger scales, and 

 along the margin there are also some more conspicuous scales, overlap- 

 ping towards the radial shields. These are small, pearseed-shaped, scarcely 

 as long as one third of the radius of the disk, widely separated by several 

 irregularly arranged scales; their outer edge is straight; no scales outside 

 them. Under side of the disk covered by scales of about the same size as 

 those on the dorsal side, but curiously enough they usually overlap one 

 another inwardly. The genital scale scarcely distinct. Along the genital 

 slits there are some few papilkx), and usually one or two on the first side arm- 

 plate. Along the margin of the disk are seen a few short spines, and over 

 the arm-basis there are many small, irregularly arranged papillas or spines. 

 Margin of the disk a little concave ; the edge rather sharp, the scaling of 

 the dorsal and the ventral side being rather sharply set off from each 

 other. 



Three arm-splncs, the middle one the longest, all a little longer than an 

 arm-joint; they are rather thick at the basis, not pointed, and seen from 

 above or below they are feebly curved. Two or three tentacle scales : one 

 large, oval, on the side arm-plate, and two, farther out, one small, along the 

 ventral plate. 



Color in alcohol : gray. 



One specimen from Station 3404, 385 f 



We have been not a little in doubt where to place this fine species, 

 whether in the genus Amphiiira or OjMockiton. It appears to be rather 

 nearly related to A. nereis Lym., but the rather robust structure is not 

 AmpJuuraAAke, Further, a comparison with the figures of OiilmcUton cari- 

 natus (Plate XIV. Figs. 1-3) shows a rather close resemblance to this 

 genus. There is only one feature of any importance in which they differ : 

 A, papillata has two infradental mouth papilte, whereas it appears to be a 

 character of Opldocliiton that it has only one infradental mouth papilla; 

 however, that is not mentioned by Lyman in his diagnosis of this genus. 

 If that be right, OpJiiocldton rmdestas Koehler (67) cannot belong to that 

 genus, but should perhaps be referred to Amphiiira, as it is now defined. 





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