166 RECENT OPHIURANS. 



shows that I have not yet satisfied myself as to the relationships of certain genera 

 and species. In these cases, notably in regard to the genus Ophioconis and its 

 allies, the evidence is perplexing and more light is necessary. The families 

 Ophiacanthidae, Amphiuridae, and Ophiolepididae require detailed and careful 

 revision, while all the large genera (Ophiacantha, Amphiura, Ophiothrix, Ophiura, 

 etc.) need to be analysed and separated into much smaller groups than has 

 yet been done. Verrill made a good start with Ophiacantha and Amphiura, 

 and Matsumoto has begun on Ophiura but Ophiothrix is untouched, and even 

 the work done by the two authors mentioned, is preliminary. 



While following Matsumoto's classification, I have not included any of 

 his subfamilies, since the number of genera is not large in any of the twelve 

 families recognized, and therefore numerous subfamilies are inconvenient. 

 Nor have I recognized any subdivision of species. No doubt we shall ultimately 

 recognize subspecies, and even prior to the present time some well-marked 

 "varieties" have been named and described, but we have not yet sufficiently 

 well-defined genera and species to make any extensive recognition of varieties 

 profitable. 



The present catalogue gives under each family heading, the genera repre- 

 sented in the M. C. Z. collection, arranged with some reference to their possible 

 phylogenetic relationship. Under each generic heading is given the reference 

 to author, date, and place of pubhcation, the type-species, and a brief statement 

 as to how and when the type-species was selected. There then follows an alpha- 

 betical hst of the species in the M. C. Z. collection. Under each species is 

 given the author and date and place of first publication, and also the author, 

 date, and place of the accepted combination. There then follows the number 

 of specimens in the collection and the localities from which they come. When 

 type material is in the collection, it is so stated. Type localities are printed in 

 small capitals. Many of the older specimens have only general locality labels, 

 such as "Australia" or "West Indies"; when we also have specimens from a 

 definite locality within the larger area, the existence of these older specimens 

 may be inferred from a foot-note on the page, "without definite locality." 



Fifty-three new species are described as it seems desirable to assign all 

 specimens in the collection to some species, and Mr. Lyman had left a consid- 

 erable number of unique specimens unnamed. Fifteen of the new species are 

 based on material gathered during my recent Australian journey under the 

 auspices of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. Dr. A. G. Mayer, the 

 official head of the party, has very kindly consented to the publication of these 



