Octopus australis

Hab. Port Jackson, Australia, 6 - 15 fathoms. Two speci ­ mens, 1 ♀, 1 juv.

The Body is rounded, and wider behind than in front; depressed, and with a well-marked ventral median groove. The mantle-opening extends nearly halfway round the body. The siphon is of medium size, at first the lateral margins are parallel and then taper rapidly to a blunt point; it ex ­ tends less than halfway to the umbrella-margin. The Head is narrower than the body, and the eyes some ­ what prominent, dorsally rather than laterally. The Arms are unequal, the lateral being slightly the longest, and about three times as long as the body; they are slender and tapering. The umbrella is longer than the length of the body, larger ventrally than dorsally, and largest of all laterally. The suckers arc prominent and closely set; they are altogether larger on the lateral arms, and extend in a double row to the centre; the radial grooves are deep and extend quite to the margin. The hectocoty Lus is absent. The Surface of the back of the body, head, and dorsal aspects of the umbrella and arms is covered with thick-set hemisphe ­ rical pimples, - which are also found on the inner side of the membrane between the two dorsal arms, and on the inner surface of the arms between the suckers; they are smaller and more sparse on the ventral surface of the body. A large rough cirrus and a few larger pimples are found over each eye. A raised ridge passes backwards from the base of the siphon along the ventro-lateral margin of the body, meeting its fellow of the opposite side at the posterior extremity *. The Colour is deep purplish on the back, mottled on the sides, and cream below.