571 
THE ECHINODERMS OF THE WOODS HOLE REGION. 
8. Synapta inhaerens (0. F. Muller). Common Sy napta. (PI. 11, fig. 74; pi. 14, figs. 109-112.) 
Ilolothuria inhxrens O. F. Muller, 1788. 
Synapta inhxrens Du ben and Koren, 18 10. 
Synapta tenuis Ayres, 1851. 
Synapta girardii I’ourtales, 1851. 
Synapta pellucida Ayres, 1852. 
Synapta ayrcsii Selenka, 1867. 
Synapta gracilis Selenka, 1867. 
Leptosynapta tenuis Veri-ill, 1867. 
Leptosynapta girardii Verrill, 1873b. 
Description. — Length 100 to ISO min., more or less; diameter 5 to 10 mm. Body slender, very 
extensile, cylindrical. Integument thin, mcr :■ or less translucent, sometimes minutely rough. Cloaca! 
opening terminal. Tei tacles 12, with 3 to 7 pairs of digits pinnatelv arranged, and 10 to 20 or more 
very small, sensory cups on the' inner surface near the base. Calcareous deposits minute diseoidal 
or irregularly rounded bodies (fig. Ill) in the external layers of the longitudinal muscles; similar but 
more irregular bodies (fig. 112) at the base of the tentacles, besides curved knobbed rods in the digits; 
and anchors and plates (fig. 110) everywhere in the body wall, smallest anteriorly and largest pos- 
teriorly; anchors with minute teeth on the outer side of flukes; plates with 7 principal holes, with 
toothed margins, and 3 large and several small holes with smooth margins at posterior end. Cal- 
careous ring (fig. 109) well developed, with no projections either anteriorly or posteriorly; the radial 
pieces pierced for passage of radial nerves. Stone canal and Polian vessel single. Color in life white, 
with or without a more or less pronounced yellow tinge; particles of red pigment frequently lie 
scattered in the skin, sometimes in sufficient quantity to give a pink cast to the whole animal. 
Range. —Massachusetts Bay to South Carolina; also from the Arctic Ocean to the Mediterranean 
Sea in the Old World; and from Sitka, Alaska, to Pacific Grove, Cal.; probably circumpolar; above 
low water to 116 fathoms. 
Remarks. — This is the most uniformly distributed, and perhaps the most common, Woods Hole 
holothurian, occurring in abundance along the shores of Buzzards Bay, and also about the islands of 
Uncatena, Nonamesset, and Naushon. It is less common along the Sound shore, but is found near 
the entrance to the Eel Pond. Although usually preferring a clean sand bottom, it often occurs in 
soft mud, even though very black, and is common in some very gravelly spots. It is often found 
above low-water mark. An account of this species and the next has already been published (Clark ’99) , 
so no record of the habits need be given here. Very little is known of the development, beyond the 
fact that segmentation is total and equal. 
9. Synapta roseola (Verrill). (PI. 11, fig. 75; pi. 14, figs. 113-116.) 
Leptosynapta roseola Verrill, 1873b. 
Synapta roseola Theel, 1880. 
Description. — Length 100 mm., rarely more, usually much less. Body very slender. Integument 
translucent, very thin, soft, and delicate. Cloaca! opening terminal. Tentacles 12, with 2 or 3 (rarely 
4) pairs of digits pinnately arranged, and 7 to 15 sensory cups on the inner surface near base. Cal- 
careous deposits, C or doughnut-shaped bodies (fig. 115) in the longitudinal muscles; branched, curved, 
and perforate' 1 rods and plates (fig. 116) in the tentacles; and everywhere in the body wall anchors 
and plates (fig. 114) similar to those of the preceding species, sometimes more slender and delicate, 
but not always. Calcareous ring (fig. 113) rather narrow, radial pieces merely notched for passage of 
radial nerves. Stone canal and Polian vessel single. Color in life, rosy red, varying from very pale 
to quite deep, rarely reddish-yellow; due to numerous pigment granules in the thin integument. 
Range. — Provincetown, Mass., to New Haven Conn ; also very abundant at the Bermuda Islands, 
where it is the commonest holothurian; near low-water mark, above and below. 
Remarks. — At Woods Hole 1 found this species only on the southeastern side of Buzzards Bay, 
from the breakwater south west ward, but Verrill (’73b) records it from Naushon. It seems to prefer 
gravelly and stony beaches, and often occurs under stones above low-water mark. Its anatomical 
characters and habits, so far as known, have already been recorded (Clark ’99). Nothing is known of 
its development, though Dr. Wesley R. Coe, of Yale University, assures me that artificial fertilization 
is easily accomplished, and segmentation is total and equal. 
Olivet College, Michigan, October , 1903. 
