Diagnosis : Tentacles 20. Body depressed, with extension of bodywall around anterior extremity, constituting a very broad, large flat brim. Dorsal surface with some small projections around margin of brim, also some very small processes on ambulacra. Calcareous deposits lacking. (After Theel, 1882.)

Type Species: Enypniastes eximia Theel.

Remarks: The three species in this genus are all so far known only from the Pacific Ocean, and E. eximia Theel, in particular, is known from off Japan (Mitsukuri, 1912; Ohshima, 1915), the Moluccas (Sluiter, 1901b), and New Zealand (Theel, 1882). In commenting on Heding's (1950) attempt to revise the classification of the bathypelagic holothurians, Hansen and Madsen (1956) note that perhaps at least three species are confused under the name Enypniastes eximia.

Enypniastes eximia Theel

Enypniastes eximia Theel, 1882, p. 56, Pl. 8, figs. 6, 7; Sluiter, 1901b, p. 77, Pl. 2, figs. 8, 9, Pl. 10, fig. 5; Mitsukuri, 1912, p. 215, Pl. 7, figs. 59, 60; Ohshima, 1915, p. 243; Heding, 1950, p. 117.

Material Examined: N.Z.O.I. Stn. 603, 1 specimen.

Description: Single specimen badly damaged, 80mm in length and 55mm broad. Mouth apparently ventral; a large web of tissue projects from anterior end of body. Other external features indistinguishable, but anus appears dorsally placed. Colour in alcohol grey, tentacles purple. Most internal structures missing or lacerated. Small remaining fragment of intestine dark brown, supported by strong mesenteries. Longitudinal muscles pinkish-brown. Calcareous deposits lacking.

Remarks: The general form of this specimen somewhat resembles that of E. eximia Theel, which was described (Theel, 1882) from four specimens taken near New Zealand (40° 28′ S., 177° 43′ E.) at a depth of 1,980 metres. As the specimen was taken from the vicinity of the type locality of the species it probably represents the true E. eximia, and not one of the synonyms referred to by Hansen and Madsen (1956).