LEPAS GALEATA (?) Linnæus. Mantissa altera Holmiæ, 1771.
CONOPEA ELONGATA. Say.[90] Journal of Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. ii, part 2, p. 323, 1822.
[90] If I have assigned the specific title of galeatus to the wrong species, yet Say’s name of elongatus ought not strictly to be admitted; as the Lepas elongata of Gmelin is a [Balanus],—probably a variety of [Balanus crenatus]. I may add, that as the Lepas galeata of Schröter (‘Einleitung in die Conch.’ &c.), was attached to a Gorgonia from the East Indies, it cannot be our present species, but probably is one of the three other allied species, which all occur in India.
Parietes not porose; basis porose. Tergum, with the apex square, caused by the great development of the articular ridge.
Hab.—Charlestown, South Carolina; Florida; West Indies; Central America; attached to Gorgoniæ; Mus. Brit., Agassiz, Cuming, Stutchbury.
General Appearance.—This and the two following species come so close in general appearance to the last, that it will be quite superfluous to do more than describe the few points of difference. The shell and basis are generally quite as much elongated as in the last species, and sometimes much more so, owing to the carinal end (fig. [4 a]), with the corresponding portion of the basal cup, being produced like the rostral end, into a flattened, sharp point: I have seen a specimen in this state .9 of an inch in length, and only .25 in breadth in the broadest part. In many specimens, however, the shape is exactly as in [B. calceolus]; but the rostrum seems less usually furrowed from clasping the stem of the Gorgonia. The colour is paler, pinker, and more distinctly striped longitudinally than in [B. calceolus]; I have, however, seen some not-striped, purple specimens (and one transversely freckled with white) from the West Indies. The parietes are strongly-ribbed internally, and are not permeated by pores. The radii have their sutural edges crenated. The basal cup is permeated by pores.
The Scutum differs from that in the last species, only in the pit for the lateral depressor muscle, being much shallower, and less defined, and in the apex being truncated. The Tergum is remarkable from its broad, square, truncated summit, which underlies the whole broad apex of the scutum: the square summit of the tergum is formed by a great and peculiar development of the uppermost part of the articular ridge. The spur is a little narrower than in [B. calceolus].
Mouth: on the crest of the labrum there are two teeth on each side of the central notch. The mandibles have five teeth, of which the two lower are very small. The maxillæ show a trace of a notch under the upper large pair of spines; near the inferior angle there are two long spines. Cirri: in the first pair, one ramus is nearly twice as long as the other: the segments are not very protuberant. There is a sharp point at the dorsal basis of the penis. The branchiæ are of moderate size, and plicated on one side.