1. Lithotrya dorsalis. [Pl. VIII], [fig. 1 a´].

Lithotrya dorsalis. G.B. Sowerby. Genera of Shells, April, 1822.

Lepas dorsalis. Ellis. Nat. Hist. Zoophytes, Tab. xv, fig. 5, 1786.

Litholepas de Mont Serrat. De Blainville. Dict. des Sc. Nat., Plate, fig. 5, 1824.

L. scutis terga angustè obtegentibus: carinâ intùs concavâ: rostro, duorum aut trium squamarum subjacentium latitudinem æquante: lateribus, squamarum quinque subjacentium longitudinem æquantibus, superficie internâ angustè ellipticâ: pedunculi squamis superioribus verticillum secundum minus duplo superantibus.

Scuta, narrowly overlapping the terga: carina internally concave: rostrum as wide as two or three of the subjacent scales: latera with their internal surfaces narrowly elliptical, as long as five of the subjacent scales: upper scales of the peduncle less than twice as large as those in the second whorl.

Mandibles, with twice as many pectinations between the first and second main teeth, as between the second and third teeth. Maxillæ without a notch, edge nearly straight, and spines very numerous: caudal appendages exceeding, by half, the length of the pedicel of the sixth cirrus.

Barbadoes, West Indies; Venezuela; Honduras; imbedded in limestone; Mus. Brit. Cuming and Stutchbury.

The state of preservation of the valves in different specimens varies greatly; generally only two or three, or even only the last-formed shelly layer, is preserved, the upper ones having scaled off; in a few young specimens, however, all the layers were perfect. The carina is generally better preserved than the other valves, and hence the upper part usually projects freely; in one specimen no less than ten zones of growth were preserved in the carina, whilst the other valves consisted of only three: the terga generally project rather more than the scuta. As each growth-layer is thick, if the scaling process had not taken place, all the valves would have projected greatly. The little teeth lie close together on the prominent serrated rims, on each zone of growth. The internal surfaces of the valves are roughened with small imbricated points. Exteriorly the valves are covered with yellow membrane, with rows, corresponding with each zone of growth, of very minute, yellow, horny spines, generally having their tips bent over, and so made hook-shaped. These spines are less than 1/600th of an inch in length.

Scuta, triangular; internally concave, with a large depression for the adductor muscle; there is the usual small roughened internal knob, or tooth, at the rostral angle of both the right and left hand valves. Tergal margin straight, overlapping about one third of the entire width of the terga.