168 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



Bathyteiithis ahyssicola, Hoyle (PL XXIX. figs. 1-7). 



1885. Bathyteiithis ahysskola, Hoyle, Narr. Chall. Exp., vol. i. p. 272, fig. 108. 

 1885. „ „ Hoyle, Prelim. Eep. XL, p. 309, fig. 2. 



Habitat. — Station 147, SoutHern Ocean, loetween Marion Island and the Crozets, 

 December 30, 1873 ; lat. 46° 16' S., long 48° 27' E ; 1600 fathoms ; Diatom ooze. One 

 specimen. 



The Body is snbcylindrical, somewhat narrowing towards and bluntly rounded at the 

 posterior extremity. Thajins are small, separate ; each is somewhat rectangular in shape, 

 with rounded angles, and attached to the body by one angle. The ma7itle-inargin is 

 almost transverse, but projects slightly in the dorsal median line, and forms a shallow 

 .sinus behind each eye and the siphon. The mantle-connective (fig. 2) consists of a long- 

 linear ridge, extending quite to the margin, and fitting into a corresponding, but somewhat 

 shorter and broader, groove on the base of the siphon, which is short, tapering, and 

 Jiluntly pointed, and fits into a shallow depression below the head, but has no dorsal bridles. 



The Head is much broader than the body, being distended laterally by the enormous 

 eyes, w'hich look outwards and forwards, and have bright, prominent, glistening lenses. 



Tlie Arms (fig. 3) are unequal, the order of length being 4, 3, 2, 1, and about one- 

 fourth the length of the body : they are all conical, and taper to slender points ; each has 

 a distinct angle along the outer side, which expands to a distinct w^eb in the fourth pair ; 

 there is also a very narrow delicate web along each side of the sucker-bearing face. The 

 suckers (fig. 4) are very minute, pedunculate, and are arranged in two irregular rows, 

 almost embedded in the arm ; they are spheroidal, the horny ring has five or six blunt- 

 pointed teeth and is surrounded by_two or three rows of conical papillae. No hectocotylisa- 

 tion was observed in the specimen. The buccal membrane (fig. 3) is very large, has 

 the usual seven points, connected Ijy ligaments with the arms ; each point bears one or 

 two suckers. 



TJie Tentacles are almost equal in length to the head and body together ; the stem is 

 very slender, cylindrical, and grooved along the inner asj)ect (fig. 5 ); they taper away 

 rapidly towards the extremity, no club being formed : the suckers cover only the distal 

 eighth of the tentacle in its inner aspect ; they are smaller than those of the sessile arms, 

 and almost imperceptible to the naked eye ; they are urn-shaped, and have a smooth 

 horny ring, surrounded by about two rows of very small papillas (fig. 6). 



Tlie Surface is covered wdth minute wrinkles, probably clue to the action of the spirit. 



TJie Colour is a very deep purplish-brown. 



TJie Gladius (fig. 7) was unfortunately somewhat damaged ; for the anterior two- 

 thirds it resembles that of an Ommastrephes, but posteriorly it expands into a broad blade 

 resembling that of Loligo ; although somewhat damaged during the extraction it was still 



