SEPIOLTD^. 21 



with a brilliant nacreous layer. So indestructible is this fossil 

 ink that it is yet capable of use as Sepia. It is difficult to 

 understand how it was preserved, as the recent calamaries spill 

 their ink on the slightest alarm. 



Beloteuthis, Miinster, 1843. 



Etym. — Belos, a dart, and teuthis. Syn. — Sepiolites, Miinster. 



Distr. — B. subcostata, Munst. (xxviii, 58). Upper Lias of 

 Wurtemburg. 



Grladius. Shaft lozenge-shaped, pointed at each end, with 

 posterior lateral wings. 



Phylloteuthis, Meek and Hayden, 1860. 



Bistr. — P. subovata, M. and H. (xxviii, 59). Upper Cretaceous, 

 Dakota. 



Gladius thin, subovate, slightly concave below, and convex 

 above. From behind the middle it narrows towards the front, 

 the outline of the lateral margins being convex, while the 

 posterior end is more or less obtvisely angular. 



This genus is founded on the impression of the expanded 

 part of a gladius in a mass of rock ; it was evidently thin, and 

 as no part of its substance remains, is supposed to have been 

 corneous. It looks very like Beloteuthis. 



Ptiloteuthis, Gabb, 1869. 



Distr. — P. foUatus, G-abb (xxviii, 60). Cretaceous, California. 



Gladius elongate, subovate, very thin, anterior end broadly 

 angulated, no midrib; surface marked hy numerous, irregular, 

 small wrinkles, which radiate backwards and outwards, partly 

 from the anterior end, and partly from an imaginar}^ median line. 



[ScAPTORRHYNCHUS, Bcllardi.] 

 Founded on decapod beaks discovered in the tertiary of 

 Piedmont. S. miocenicus, Bellardi (xxviii .*75-*I*I). 



Family SEPIOLID^. 



Sepiola, Leach, 1811. 



Syii. — Sepioloidea, d'Orb, 1839. Fidenas, Gray, 1849. 



Distr. — 7 sp. European Seas, Japan, Mauritius, Viti Is., 

 Australia, Singapore, Coast of Maine, U. S. 



Body short, purse-like, mantle united to the head cervically, 

 and ventrally supported by a ridge fitting a groove on the funnel ; 

 arms with two or eight rows of pedunculated suckers, the rings 

 of which are not toothed, and eight rows of very small ones on 

 the tentacular clubs. Fins oval, dorsal. Gladius lancet-form, 

 only half as long as the body, margins thickened. First left 

 arm hectocotylized. 



