1909] McClendon: TJu Ophiurans of tin San Diego Region. 49 



Family Ophiocomidae Ljg. 1867. 



Month papillae. Teeth. Arms arise from ventral side of disc. 

 Moderate or long spines perpendicular to arm. Disc, at least 

 above, covered with granules on a soft skin, seldom with scales 

 and naked radial shields. Mouth shields small or medium size, 

 nut extending into interbrachial space. Two genital pores. 



Genus Ophiopteris, E. A. Smith. 1s77. 



Disc granulated. Radial shields covered. Mouth angle small 

 and short and with small mouth papillae. Tooth papillae very 

 numerous and arranged in a close, vertical lump. Four teeth. 

 Arm spines smooth and solid, the upper one having one or two 

 supplementary scale-like spines applied to its base. One tentacle 

 scale. Two genital openings beginning outside the mouth shield. 



Ophiopteris papillosa Ly. 



Figs. 28, 29. 

 III. Cat. Mus. Comp. Zoo. Harvard, VIII, pt. 2, p. 11, 1875. 



Diameter of disc 11 mm. Length of arm about 3% times 

 diameter of disc. Disc completely covered above with stout cylin- 

 drical stumps. Interbrachial space covered with more slender 

 stumps. Four to sis pairs of small mouth papillae on each jaw 

 and one small pair in the corner of the mouth (tentacle scales). 

 Tooth papillae in four or five vertical rows, those in the middle 

 being irregular. Mouth shields sub-triangular, with rounded 

 corners. Side mouth shields narrow, meeting within. Genital 

 openings beginning at mouth shield. One flat tentacle scale. 

 First ventral arm plate small and sub-triangular with outer cor- 

 ners cut off and slightly broader than long. Dorsal arm plates 

 hexagonal, about D ' 2 times as broad as long. Five flat, blunt arm 

 spines, the first (dorsal) and sometimes the second are reduced 

 to scales, the third and sometimes the fourth about as long as 

 three arm joints, the fifth usually shorter than two arm joints. 

 The spines are very finely serrated toward their tips. Color. 

 brown. 



