Art. LXI.—On a new Holothurian (Chirodota dunedinensis, n.sp.).

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 13, 1880, Page 418

Art. LXI.—On a new Holothurian (Chirodota dunedinensis, n.sp.). By T. Jeffery Parker, B.Sc., Lond., Professor of Biology in the University of Otago. [Read before the Otago Institute, 1st February, 1881.] This representative of a genus and family hitherto unknown in New Zealand appears to be extremely common in Otago harbour. I found it first between Logan's Point and Ravensbourne, and afterwards, in great abundance, at Broad Bay, both times entangled in the red seaweed between high and low water marks. As I hope to have the opportunity of working at the anatomy of the species, I confine myself now to recording the discovery, and giving the sytematic characters of the genus and species. Genus Chirodota, Eschscholtz. Worm-like; calcareous spicules in the form of wheels imbedded in the skin; tentacles shield-shaped, produced at the edges into finger-like processes (Tentacula peltato-digitata). C. dunedinensis, T.J.P. Tentacles ten, each with about ten processes, which increase in size progressively from the proximal to the distal end. Integument quite smooth, there being no tentacles or papillæ. Colour yellowish (owing to the bright yellow viscera shining through the translucent skin) with small crimson spots which disappear in spirit; tentacles whitish, with dark spots on the inner side at the base; these spots are unaffected by spirit. Length, in the extended condition, about 4 cm. Otago harbour: littoral.