198 



ring and the total or nearly total wanting of a cartilaginous ring. 

 Also the calcareous deposits as well as the colour afford valuable, 

 though not very conspicuous characters. 



Synaptula lactea (Sluiter). 



Synapta lactea. Sluiter. 1888. Die Evertebraten .... Batavia, p. 216. 

 Chondrocloea lactea. 0stergren. 1898. Das System der Synaptiden. 



Sluiter. 1901. "Siboga" Holothurien. pag. 126. 

 Synaptula lactea. Clark. 1908. The Apodous Holothurians. pag. 85. 

 Between Koh Mesan and Cape Liant. 7. II. 1900. 5 — 8 m. 1 specimen. 

 Zonnegat, Banda. 4. VI. 1922. Sand, coral. 1 specimen. 

 The Kei Islands. S. of Doe Roa. 10. IV. 1922. 40 m. Sand. 1 specimen. 1 ) 



The largest specimen at hand measures 10 cm in length; the 

 others no more than 4 cm in length. The colour is in alcohol 

 very pale rose or nearly white. The two specimens have 10 ten- 

 tacles, but that from Doe Roa has a rudimentary one more. Each 

 tentacle has ca. 12 pairs of free digits which are nearly quite re- 

 tracted into the tentacle. On the oral disk there are faint eye- 

 spots. The cartilaginous ring is weakly developed, and the pure 

 white calcareous ring (Fig. 26. 12) is unusually stout. The large, 

 nearly square pieces are quite without muscular impressions; the 

 radiais are perforated for the nerves. There are 6 — 7 polian ve- 

 sicles and a single stone-canal. The gonads are branched, and the 

 intestine has a faint loop. On the mesenteries there are ciliated 

 funnels of the usual shape and size. 



The anchors (Fig. 26. 9) measure ca. 240 fi in length by 150 ft 

 in width. The stock is finely dented, and on the vertex there are 

 minute knobs. The anchor-plates (Fig. 26. 10) measure ca. 170 fi 

 in length and 150 p in width. The articular hole has the anterior 

 margin serrate, and on the bridge there are small knobs. In the 

 posterior end of the plates there are three small holes. The miliary 

 granules (Fig. 26. 11) are rosettes. They are in the two specimens 

 rather equally spread over the body, but in the specimen from Doe 

 Roa they are gathered into small heaps. 



This species is not closely related to any of the other known 

 species. It is distinctly characterized by the colour and by the 

 free digits, as well as by the shape of the calcareous ring. Also the 



!) The identification of the specimen from Doe Roa is not beyond doubt. 



