

The Echinoderm Fauna of Smtl Africa. .",'.!! 



POURTALESIA ALCOCKI. 



Koehler, 1914. Ech. Indian Mus. Spat, p. 8, pi. 1, ligs. 1-14. 



The ten specimens before me accord well with Koehler's descrip- 

 tion and figures and confirm the validity of the species which was 

 originally taken in the Golf of Oman. There is nothing but a most 

 superficial resemblance to carinata, which is as Mortensen (1907, 

 Ingolf Ech. pt. 2, p. 82), has shewn, really the representative of a 

 distinct genus. Bell's reference of his specimen < I IXC). Mar. Invst. 

 S. Afr. Ill, p. 172) to that species was probably based on geographical 

 grounds as no other pourtalesiid has been recorded from any spot 

 so near to Cape Town, as are the Croset Islands, far away as they 

 are. The series of alcocki at hand range from 27-:J7 mm. in length: 

 the largest is 18 mm. wide and the height is the same. The colour 

 is light purple, darkest in the large specimens, and verv pale in the 

 small ones. All the specimens are from the station recorded by 

 Bell, 46 miles west southwest of Cape Point, 900 fathoms. 



HEMIASTERIDAE. 



This widely distributed family is very poorly represented in South 

 African waters although four genera and eleven species are charac- 

 teristic echini of Antarctic and subantarctic waters on both sides of 

 the region. One species has long been known from the Cape and a 

 second has now been found by the PIETER FAURE. They are easily 

 distinguished from each other as follows. 



Keif to tJie SoitfJi African Species of Heiniasteridae. 



Vertical diameter of test about half the length; genital pores 3 Brisaster fragilis. 

 Vertical diameter of test '60 of length or more; genital pores 2 



Schizaster edwardxi. 



BRISASTER FRAGILIS. 



Brissus fragilis Diiben and Koren, 1846. Skan. Ech., p. 280. 

 Schizaster (Brisaster) fruyili* (iray, 1855. Cat. Ech. Rec. Brit. Mus., p. 61. 

 Mortensen, 1907. I.NGOI.F Ech., pt, 2, pi. I, ligs. 6, 7. 



The single specimen in the PIETER FAURE collection is badly 

 crushed and throws no new light on the disputed question whether 

 the Cape Brisaster is identical with the European species or not. 



