Farn: 3. Plate 19.
Fam. 3, Plate 19.
EOLIS PELLUCIDA, Alder and Hancock.
E. gracilis* alba, pellucida: branchiis linearibus, roseis, apicibus albis, in fasciculis 5-6 digestis:
tentaculis dorsalibns elongatis, leviter corrugatis : angulis anterioribus pedis valde productis.
Eolis pellucida, Aid. and Hanc. in Ann. Nat. Hist. v. 12, p. 234.
Hab. On a Tubularia from the fishing-boats, Cullercoats, A. H.
Body seven eighth|S>f an inch long, slender, very pellucid, white. Dorsal tentacles
long, rather conical, approximating at the base, and of a delicate olivaceous hue with white
tips; they are finely annularly wrinkled, the wrinkles discernible even when the tentacles
are fully stretched. Oral tentacles of equal length with the dorsal pair, and of a watery
transparency with white tips.. Branchial long, linear, or slightly conical, bright carmine-
coloured, with a large patch of white at the apices. The coloured vessel is rather jagged at
the sides but not granular, and forms a cylindrical mass up the centre of the sheaths, which
extend a good deal beyond it on each side. The very extreme points are slightly pellucid,
but not so as to form the white into a ring as in FI. gracilis. The. branchiae are arranged in
five or six clusters along the sides of the back; the anterior clusters containing from
fifteen to seventeen papillae each, and forming a kind of ruff about the shoulders. The
second clusters are also well defined, hut not nearly so numerous ; the others are smaller,
and nearly coalesce towards the tail. Foot pellucid, produced at the anterior angles into
long slender points, which are generally much recurved. The tail terminated very abruptly
in our specimen, but appeared to he injured. The eyes are very small, and placed nearer
together than usual.
The specimen of this beautiful animal from which the description was taken was the
only one procured, and, though a little mutilated, it lived several days and was very active.
It had lost some of its papillae, hut one of the larger clusters appeared quite perfect, and
sufficient of the others remained to show their character and arrangement.
This species is allied to FI. gracilis, but is much larger; the branchial papillae are
different in form and colour, and the shape of their central vessel is also dissimilar. In this
species the dorsal tentacles are olivaceous and wrinkled* in E . gracilis they are colourless
and smooth. Other minor points of difference might he cited, but those already alluded to
are sufficient to warrant our considering the species distinct.
Figs. 1, 2, 3. Eolis pellucida, different views.
4. Two of the papillae more highly magnified.