The Echinoderm Fauna of South Africa. 233 



Succeeding pinnules somewhat smaller, about 7 mm. long. All the 

 basal pinnules are moderately stout at base but taper to a slightly 

 flagellate tip, which is not however very slender. 



Colour, pale fawn with the oral surface of disk and arms very 

 dark brown, almost black; margins of food grooves on disk, black. 



P.F. 12157. Durnford Point, Zululand, N.W. b /, W., 12 miles. 

 90 fins. Broken shells. 1 specimen. Holotype, South African Museum, 

 No. A 6435. 



It is with no little hesitation that I put this fine new comatulid 

 in the genus Liparometra, but as P 2 and P 3 are of approximately 

 equal size, it seems to me clear that it cannot be placed in either 

 Diehrometra or Lamprometra, as those genera are diagnosed by their 

 founder, Mr. Austin H. Clark. I am somewhat inclined to question 

 the desirability of recognizing these three very closely allied genera, 

 but here again I must defer to the much wider experience of my 

 friend. The present species is, I think, quite distinct from any pre- 

 viously known form, as the large number of arms and cirri, with 

 their numerous segments, are quite characteristic. The few and 

 widely spaced syzygies is also a noticeable feature. 



TROPIOMETRIDAE. 

 TROPIOMETRA CARINATA. 



Comatula carinata, Lamarck, 181(5. Anim. s. Vert., vol. 2, p. 534. 

 Tropiometra carinata, A. H. Clark, 1907. Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 50, 



p. 349. 

 Antedon capensis, Bell, 1905. Mar. Inv. South Africa, vol. 4, p. 139; pi. 2. 



The distribution of this species is of considerable interest. It ranges 

 from the Seychelles, Reunion, Mauritius and Zanzibar southward to 

 the Cape of Good Hope and thence northwestward to St. Helena, 

 Brazil and the southernmost West Indies. It is true that Mr. A. H. 

 Clark considers the specimens from the latter regions specifically 

 distinct from those taken on the east coast of Africa, but a prolonged 

 comparison of specimens from Tobago, B. AY. 1., with individuals of 

 the same size from Zanzibar has satisfied me that the supposed differ- 

 ences do not exist. 



The specimens from the South African Museum are not notable, 

 except that the smallest (12405-c) has the arms only 20 mm. long, 

 and, like specimens from Tobago of a similar age, the colors are pale 

 yellow and pink-purple. 



Mozambique; low tide. Nov. 1912. K.H.Barnard coll. 2 specimens. 



