Fam 3. FI. 14.
EOLIS RUHBRAW.C'HIALIS.
Fam. 3, Plate 14.>
EOLIS RUFIBRANCHIALIS, J ohnston.
E. gracilis, elongate, alba: branchiis linearibus, coccineis, apicibns albis, in fasciculis 6-ZIifidis-
tinctis digestis: tentaculis dorsalibus corrugatis: angulis anterioribus pedis curtis:
Eolidia mfibranchialis, Johns., in Loud. Mag. Nat. Hist. v. 5, p. 428.
Idem, in Ann. Nat. Hist. v. 1, p. 121.
Eolidia Embletoni, Idem, in Loud. Mag. Nat. Hist. v. 8, p. 879.
Bab. Under stones in pools at low-water mark, and in shallow;water. Berwick Bay, Dr. Johnston.
Whitley and Cidlercoats, rather rare. Lamlash Bay, Rev. D. Landsborough.
0 -
Body about an inch long, very slender, and tapering to an exceedingly fine, point; trails- ,
parent watery white, appearing yellowish in the centre, from the viscera shining through ; an
opake white line passes along the ridge of the hack from the heart to the end of the tail.
Dorsal tentacles moderately long, tapering, wrinkled transversely, and set at a little distance
apart; of a yellowish white, sometimes tinged with rose colour, and having an opake line of
white on the upper part of the posterior surface. Oral tentacles of about an equal length
with the dorsal pair, transparent white, with an opake white central line ; rather depressed
and separated hy'the rounded outline of the head. Branchia Hither short, slender, nearly
linear; the central vessel scarlet or rose red, with the margins much undulating; the sheath
transparent, and having a slender opake white ring near the apex. They are set in six or
seven ill-defined clusters on the sides of the back ; and qre arranged in transverse rows, the
largest containing about four papillae each : in the first cluster there are six . or seven rows ;,
in the next, four ; and two , or three each in the others'. Foot very transparent, linear, and
extending considerably beyond the branchiae into a very slender point behind; in front the
margin is slightly hilohed, slit transversely, and a little produced at the sides, ending m small
points. T ' *.1
This | is one of the most slender and delicate forms of the genus. It is met with
on the rocks near low-water mark in April, May, and June, • when it has attained its
full growth, and is spawning. The spawn is attached to the under surface of stones in
pools and resembles that of E . coronata, hut is more openly coiled, and the band or thread
of eggs is less undulated. In August and September, the- young are found considerably
advanced. ■ i t-» t t, +
This beautiful species has, been much misunderstood. We agree with Dr. Johnston m
uniting his E. Embletoni and E. mfibranchialis, yet we suspect that he has included more