157 
It is rather perplexing to find in this species so great a var¬ 
iation in the shape of the plates which otherwise generally atford 
distinguishing characters of the highest value. But we have got to 
agree that there is such great variation here — otherwise we should 
have to designate each specimen as a separate species. 
The scaling of the ventral surface of the disk is, upon the whole, 
more sparse in the New Zealand than in the Australian form; 
also the spines on the disk are generally not so coarse in the 
former as in the latter form — but it appears to be not constant 
enough to justify maintaining the New Zealand form as a distinet 
variety. 
Evidently the arms are very long. In the largest of the New 
Zealand specimens the longest arm is ca. 7 times the diameter of 
the disk, and quite a considerable length has been lost. In one of 
the Australian specimens the arms must have been a good deal 
more than 15 times the diameter of the disk. 
The eggs are not very numerous and fairly large, 0,a5 mm. 
This indicates that this species has probably not a typical Ophio- 
pluteus-larva. 
On the largest of the New Zealand specimens a number of 
specimens of a small Loxosoma are found attached to various places 
on the ventral side of the disk and arms. Also in one of the Au¬ 
stralian specimens (37® 05’ S. 150® 15’ E. 30—50 fms) the same 
Loxosoma is found. 
33. Amphioplus basilicus (Koehler). 
Figs. 28. a—c. 
Amphiura basilica. Koehler. 1907. Revision de la Collection des Oph- 
iures du Mus. d’hist. nat. Paris. Buil. sci Fr. & Bel- 
gique XLI, p. 307. PI. XI. 17—18. 
Amphioplus basilicus. H. Lym. Clark. 1915. Catalogue Rec. Oph. p.257. 
Carnley Harbour, Auckland Isl. 29/XI.14. 4 specimens. 
Masked Isl., Carnley Harbour; Auckland Isl. 3/XII.14. 6 specimens. 
Perseverance Harbour, Campbell Isl.; under stones, at low water. 9/XII.14. 
18 specimens. 
These specimens agree so perfeetly with the description given 
by Koehler of the species Amphiura basilica, founded on three 
specimens from off East Cape, New Zealand (Filhol), that the 
Identification therewith is beyond doubt. 
