HOYLE : REPORTS ON THE CEPHALOPODA. 5 



On the margin of the drawing of specimen 7961 is a memorandum to the 

 effect that the " wire came up with a large film of the violet membrane of ten- 

 tacles : must have been a large specimen at least X 20 this one." No further 

 record is to be found, and the fragments do not appear to have been preserved. 



STAUROTEUTHIS. 

 Stauroteuthis Verrill, '79, p. 468; '81, p. 382, Plate 32, Figs. 1-5. 



In the " Challenger " Report (Hoyle, '86, p. 61), I ventured to throw some 

 doubt on the validity of this genus. The examination of the "Albatross" 

 collection has, however, led me to believe that these doubts were ill foundeil. 

 The genus presented many obvious resemblances to Cirroteuthis, and it ap- 

 peared quite possible that the recorded differences were due to defects in tlie 

 preservation of the specimens. The chief points of distinction seemed to be 

 the form and position of the dorsal cartilage and the attachment of the web to 

 the tips of the arms. 



With respect to the former I have now no doubt whatever that the horizon- 

 tal position of the horseshoe-shaped cartilage is normal. This was unquestion- 

 ably the case in the specimen (No. 7942), which forms the type of S. 

 hippocrepium below : it was seen too in the young specimen figured in the 

 " Challenger " Report ('86, p. 65, Plate 13, Figs. 5, 6). In that particular 

 instance I regarded it as a juvenile character, for in the example, which was 

 taken to be a more mature one of the same species, the cartilage seemed to be 

 placed vertically. That specimen was, however, much distorted, and I now 

 incline to the view that the horseshoe-shaped cartilage is normally horizontal, 

 as Professor Verrill has figured it in the type of his genus. 



To the genus Stauroteuthis I should now refer the following species which 

 may be thus diagnosed : — 



1. S. syrtenns : "cartilage forming a median angle, directed backward": 

 fins triangular ; umbrella reaching equally up dorsal and ventral aspects of 

 the arm; no nodule where the free edge of the web joins the ventral aspect 

 of the arm ; intermediate web present.^ 



2. S. meangensis: cartilage horseshoe-shaped with angular process on the 

 outer aspect of the curve ; fins'long, narrow, and pointed ; umbrella extending 

 only four-fifths up the ventral aspect of the arm and provided with a nodule 

 where it joins the arm ; intermediate wch absent. 



3. (S. hippocrepium : cartilage horseshoe-siiaped, smooth externally ; fins 

 paddle-shaped ; umbrella extending nearly halfway up the ventral a.-'pect of 

 the arm, and provided with a nodule at the point of union ; intermediate wcb 

 absent. 



1 By "intermediate" web is meant a membrane which joins the arms to the 

 umbrella. 



