MONOGRAPH OF THE GENUS 



ARTEMIS. 



Fam. Veneridse. 



Char. Gen. Testa aequivalvis, insequilateralis, plus minusve or- 

 bicularis, plerumque compressa, concentrice striata aut costellata, 

 antice prope umbones plerumque lunulata. Cardo fortis, subsepti- 

 forinis, dentibus tribus aut quatuor divergentibus ; ligarnento elon- 

 gato, partim interno. Impressiones inusculares pyriformes ; im- 

 pressio pallii sinu profundo acute trigouo. 



The shells of this geuus are easily distinguishable from Cy- 

 thema, not only by their general form, which is lenticular, but 

 by the deep angular sinus in the impression of the mantle, in- 

 dicating a peculiarity in the animal. Nearly all the shells are 

 of a white or light colour, and have concentric ridges or striae. 

 Three species are found in Europe ; a few in America, Australia, 

 and North Africa ; and the greater number in Japan, China, the 

 Philippines, and other localities in the Eastern Seas. 



Sect. 1. Dorsal margin simple ; concentric ridges flat. 



1. Artemis concentrica (pi. cxl. f. 1), Gmelin (Venus), 

 Syst. Nat. p. 3286. 



Art. testa subrotundata, latiore quam alta, alba, epidermide 

 pallide straminea, concentrice sulcata, sulcis continuis; margine 

 dorsali elevato, shnplici ; lunula profunde excavata. 



Rounded, but wider than high; white, with a pale straw- 

 coloured epidermis ; concentrically and continuously grooved, the 

 interspaces being narrow and flat; no ligamental area; luiiule 

 deeply impressed. 



Porto Portrero, Central America. Cuming. 



2. Artemis distans (pi. cxl. f. 3), ? 



Art. testa crassa, ventricosa, postice expansa, alba, epidermide 



4 Q 



