REPORT ON THE HOLOTHURIOIDEA. 
17 
Chirodota japonica, v. Marenzeller, 1881 (PI. II. fig. 3). 
Habitat . — Port Jackson, 2 to 10 fatlioms. Some kiglily incomplete specimens. 
The cjlinclrical body is very elongated, up to 170 mm. long or more. The alimen- 
tary canal is distended by sand so as to fill up the whole peritoneal cavity. The ten 
tentacles are provided with fourteen to sixteen digitations of almost equal length. No 
traces of wheels seem to be present. The sigmoid deposits (PL II. fig. 3), resembling 
those in Chirodota contorta, Ludwig, have a length of about 0T4 mm., thus being 
sUghtly larger than those in the type of v. Marenzeller ; they are collected in groups of 
three to nine. A single Polian vesicle is present. Colour in alcohol is whitish-grey or 
pale brownish-violet, and the integument is covered with numerous small dark red or 
violet papillse. 
The species strictly belongs to the genus Sigmodota, proposed by Studer for the 
reception of forms which are devoid of wheels and are characterised by the possession of 
sigmoid deposits within the integument. So far as is known, no other difference exists, 
distinguishing Sigmodota from Chirodota. Now it seems to me that the genus 
Sigmodota would be well founded if it could be proved that the sigmoid deposits were 
really characteristic of it. This seems, however, not to be the case. In fact, Ludwig’s 
Chirodota contorta, besides wheels, possesses such deposits, formed exactly after the same 
plan as those in the genus Sigmodota ; consequently, the species just mentioned combines 
the two extremes with each other, and v. Marenzeller is doubtless right when placing the 
genus of Studer under the list of synonyms. 
Chirodota .sp. ? 
Habitat. — Station 192, September 2G, 1874 ; lat. 5° 49' 15" S., long. 132° 14' 15" E.; 
depth, 140 fathoms; blue mud. Some fragmentary individuals, so incomplete as to 
make it impossible to determine their position. Only agglomerations of wheels seem 
to be present. Tentacles destroyed. 
(ZOOL. OHAr.L. EXP. — PART XXXIX. — 1885.) 
Qq 3 
