Massy — The Holothurioidca of the Coasts of Ireland. 57 



Leptosynapta inhaerens (0. F. MiilL), 1776. 



Chiridota pinnata, Giiibe, 1840. 

 Synapta kensloivana, Gray, 1848. 



„ tenuis, Ayres, 1861. 



„ girardii, Pourtales, 1851. 



„ pellucida, Ayres, 1825. 



„ duvernea, Held, 1857. 



„ ayresii, Selenka, 1867. 



„ gracilis, Selenka, 1867. 



„ albicans, Selenka, 1867. 



„ hifaria, Semper, 1868. 

 Leptosynapta tenuis, Verrill, 1867. 



„ girardii, Verrill, 1874. 



Synapta inhaerens, Ostergren, 1888 ; Clark, 1899 and 1901. 

 (?) „ alMcans, Clark, 1901. 



There is abundant evidence to show that this species lives in sand or 

 muddy gravel, chiefly at L. W. M., at many points all round our coast 

 (Nichols, 1903). We have collected or dredged it ourselves at 24 stations in 

 the north, south, and west of Ireland. Kemp (1905, p. 184) notes that it has 

 rarely been found in more than 30 fms., and on only one occasion (60 fms., 

 off coast of Cork) has this depth been exceeded in our hauls. There are 

 also three records, from as many expeditions, which have taken it in or near 

 our area at depths of 45-96 fms. With regard to the near relatives of 

 L. inhaerens, e.g. L. Galliennii, Herapath, L. hergensis, Ostergren, and 

 L. macranhyra, Ludwig, Clark (1907, pp. 91 aird 92) considers that the 

 Norwegian L. hergensis is a synonym of L. Galliennii, and adds : " Whether 

 there is an unbroken series between the true inhaerens and the Mediterra- 

 nean macranhyra is still uncertain, but for the present we may conveniently 



recognize the three species It is entirely conceivable that imder 



specially favourable conditions in some individuals of inhaerens, the anchors 

 and plates might increase in size to that which we find in galliennii, and 

 even in niacrankyra, and in that case the increased number of perforations 

 in the plate would be a natural accompaniment." In his key to the species 

 of Leptosynapta {pp. cit., p. 87) he says of inhaerens, " anchors usually under 

 250;u, never over 300ju, plates with smooth margins, and not more than 7 or 

 8 dentate holes " ; of Galliennii, " anchors not often over 500//, plates with 

 7-30 holes"; and of macranhyra, "anchors 500-800/i, plates usually with 

 25 to 40 holes." 



The material from our hauls which I have been able to examine includes 



