:!."() Annals of the South African Museum, 



Four short genital slits in each interbrachial area. 



No conspicuous bare plates on disk, except that the radial shields may be 

 either bare or concealed . . . Ophioderma leonis. 



Many conspicuously bare plates on disk; upper arm-plates often fragmented 



Ophioderma wahlbergii. 



CRYPTOPELTA ASTER. 



Ophiopeza aster Lyman, 1879. Bull. M. C. Z., vol. 6, p. 50; pi. XIV, 



figs. 395-397. 

 Cryptopelta aster H. L. Clark, 1909. Bull. M. C. Z., vol. 52, p. 131. 



The rediscovery of this interesting species, and the collecting of a 

 good series of specimens, is one of the noteworthy results of the 

 PIETER FAURE'S work. In disk-diameter, the specimens range from 

 2-5 to 13 mm. ; the largest is thus somewhat larger than Lyman's 

 type. The growth changes are very trivial and consist of an increase 

 in the relative length of arm, in the number of arm-spines and in 

 the widening and coming into broad contact of the upper and under 

 arm-plates. The smallest specimen has arms less than 5 mm. long; 

 one with disk 4*5 mm. lias arms 9 mm.; one with disk 6'5, has 

 arms 17; one with disk about 9 mm. has arms 27 mm. long; and 

 the largest has arms nearly 45 mm. The proportion therefore in- 

 creases from "arms 2 X disk" to "arms 3'5 X disk". The number 

 of arm-spines is 4 on the basal arm-segments of the smallest spec- 

 imen, 5 in one somewhat larger, 6 in the specimen 6-5 mm. across 

 the disk, 7 in the one 9 mm. across, and even in the largest spec- 

 imen it is very rarely 8. 



Koehler has reported this species from two shallow water stations 

 in the East Indies (713 fins.). But his specimens have decidedly 

 longer arms and more arm-spines and I am inclined to think a 

 comparison of specimens would show r that the South African and 

 East Indian species of Cryptopvlta are not identical. The PIETER 

 FAURE specimens are all unicolorous, nearly white. They were taken 

 at the following places. 



P.F. 2798. Vasco de Gama Peak, N. 71 E., 18 miles, 230 fms. 

 St. 2 specimens ; adult. 



P.F. 11359. Tugela River, N.W. by N. 1 / 4 N., 24 miles, 65-80 fms. 

 R. 1 specimen ; very young. 



P.F. 13194. Cove Rock, N.W. by N., 6 miles, 43 fms. Brk. sh. 

 and r. 4 specimens ; young. 



P.F. 13240. Cove Rock, N. 3 / 4 E., 5 miles, 43 fms. St. and brk. 

 sh. 7 specimens; adult and young. 



