182 University of California Publications in Zoology. [Vol. 6 

 Ceratocorys magna n. sp. 



Ceratocorys spinift ra in ] >:i rt. Murray rind Whitting (1899), p. 329, 

 pi. 30, fig. 6 d. 



A very large species, characterized by relatively narrow 

 girdle-lists which are coarsely and heavily ribbed, as are also the 

 heavily thickened suture regions where several lines of irregular, 

 coarse denticulations are found. The apical region is reduced 

 and tilted forward, somewhat as in C. annul nut. As figured by 

 Murray and Whitting (1899, pi. 30, fig. 6c/), this species is 

 nearly sixty per cent, larger than C. armatum (their figure 6c 

 of Ceratocorys spinifera^C. armatum, which they figure else- 

 where on pi. 28 as Goniodoma fimbriatum), and differs strikingly 

 from it in skeletal markings and surface structure. These 

 authors have plainly confused three species in their Ceratocorys 

 spinifera. One of these, fig. 6c, their "young form of C. 

 spinifera," is an epitheca of C. armatum; another, fig. Gd, is this 

 new species C. magna, while the third organism, figs. (»/. 6, e, is 

 not a Ceratocorys at all. but belongs rather to the genus Gon- 

 yaulax. This is evidenced by the presence in the ventral face of 

 this organism of a small triangular precingular plate. 6" in my 

 nomenclature (see Kofoid, 1909) which is absent in Ceratocorys 

 but is characteristic of Gonyaulax. The large ventral intercalary 

 plate i see .Murray and Whitting, 1899, pi. 30, figs. 6a, e) on the 

 left side of the ventral area (= longitudinal furrow) is also 

 found in Gonyaulax. The pointed apex and displacement of the 

 girdle are also suggestive of Gonyaulax, as for example, of G. 

 triacantha Jorg. On the other hand, the fins and terminal 

 brushes on the spines are similar to those of Ceratocorys. But 

 these are superficial characters which converge toward Cerato- 

 corys and do not have the significance that the fundamental 

 skeletal features such as the number and relations of the skeletal 

 plates possess in determining relationships. 



Since the specific name spinifera is preoccupied in the genus 

 Gonyaulax by G. spinifera (Clap, et Laeh.) Diesing, I propose 

 the new name Gonyaulaux ceratocoroides for the species repre- 

 sented in .Murray and Whitting's figures 6a, b and <. a part of 

 their Ceratocorys spinifera. 



