The Echinoderm Fauna of South Africa. 347 



P.F. 11556. Tugela River, N.W. by N., 22 miles, 47 fins. Brk. 

 sh. 2 specimens; small adults. 



Holotype, South African Museum no. A 6439. 



This species so closely resembles Ophionereis jtor recta in form, 

 colour and all details, except the complete absence of supplementary 

 upper arm-plates, that it might easily be mistaken for that species 

 in life. It is interesting to note that it occured at the same station 

 with Ophionereis dubia, while O. dubia and O. porrecta occurred 

 together at least three times. The known species of Ophiochiton 

 fall readily into two groups, of which the larger has 2 or more 

 tentacle-scales, at least on the basal .arm-pores, while the smaller 

 has only a single, large scale. The present species belongs in the 

 smaller group but is easily distinguished from its other members by 

 the short, thick arm-spines, the form of the oral papillae, the oral 

 shields, and the upper arm-plates. It seems to be nearer to the 

 Atlantic species, ternispinus and yrandis, than to any of the Pacific 

 species. Excepting 0. lentux, from deep water near the Kermadec 

 Islands, this is the only Ophiochiton known from south of the equator. 



OPHIOCOMIDAE. 



No representative of this tropical family has been taken at any 

 time by the PIETER FAURE and I frankly question its right to a place 

 in this report. It is true that several species are known from Mo- 

 zambique and more probably occur there, but south of that point, 

 there is not a single record except that of Ophiocoma scolopendrhui 

 which Lyman reports was taken at Simon's Bay, Cape of Good Hope, 

 in 10-20 fins. He does not say how many specimens there were, 

 but evidently there were very few and probably only one, as the 

 M. C. Z. collection contains but half of the disk of a large individual 

 from this station. While this specimen is unquestionably correctly 

 identified, I suspect there was some mistake about the locality label, 

 and I shall not believe that Ophiocomo occurs on the coasts of Cape 

 Colony until further .specimens are secured. Koehler has described 

 an Ophiopsila (0. paucispina) from Fernao Veloso Bay, but the genus 

 has not yet been found at Mozambique. 



The species of this family now known from Mozambique are dis- 

 tinguished from each other as follows. 



Key to the South African Species of Ophiocomidae. 



Disk covered with a uniform coat of granules, except on the interbrachial areas 

 below, where the scales are more or less bare. 



