332 Annals of the South African Museum. 



OPHIACTIS CARNEA. 

 Plate XX. Figs. 3, 4. 



Ljungman, 1807. Ofv. Kongl. Vet.-Akad. Forh., vol. 23, p. 324. 



There is an excellent series of this characteristic species, which 

 has previously been something of a rarity. The smallest is barely 

 2 mm. across the disk and the arms are scarcely 10 mm. long; the 

 disk is covered by a central rosette of 16 primary plates with about 

 ten additional plates in each interradial area, and two small plates 

 between the proximal ends of each pair of radial shields; there are 

 small sharp spinelets scattered over the disk more especially near 

 the margin ; the upper arm-plates are broadly in contact and might 

 be called transversely oval, but the proximal half is distinctly nar- 

 rower than the distal and the plates are not much wider than long; 

 the under arm-plates are squarish with rounded corners, nearly or 

 quite in contact; there are only 4 arm-spines, even at base of arm, 

 and they are relatively short and thick; there is a single, relatively 

 large oral papilla at the distal angle of each jaw, on each side. In 

 a specimen 2'5 mm. across the disk and with arms about 13 mm. 

 long, the disk scales are much more numerous and the primary plates 

 (except the central) are no longer distinct; the upper arm plates are 

 broadly oval, much wider than long and there are 5 arm-spines. 

 The largest specimen, 6 mm. across the disk and with arms nearly 

 35 mm. long, differs from this very little indeed ; the under arm- 

 plates are wider than long and have the distal margin convex and 

 the arm-spines seem to be relatively a trifle longer. Most of the 

 specimens are very light, nearly white, or more or less pinkish, but 

 the larger ones are light brown, with the arms more or less distinctly 

 banded with darker. One specimen, from Sea Point, is variegated 

 gray-green, olive-green, and greenish-white, but it is not otherwise 

 peculiar. It will be interesting to learn the colour in life. 



P.F. 106 A. Between Cape St. Blaize and Mossel Bay, 4 fins. S. 

 14 specimens; adult and young. 



P.F. 215 A. Cape St. Blaize. S.W. by W. V 4 W., 6 miles, 15-18 fms. 

 Stns. 46 specimens; adult and young. 



P.F. 769. Off East London, 32 52' S. X 28 12' E. Depth and 

 bottom? 1 specimen; young. 



P.F. 859. Off East London, 32 & S. X 28 26' E. 36 fms. Stns. 

 2 specimens; young. 



S.A.M. No. 3015. False Bay, Cape Colony. Littoral. Dr. Purcell 

 coll. 1 specimen ; small adult. 



