420 Annals of the South African Museum. 



ELPIDIIDAE. 



The right of this family to a place in this report is based on the 

 extraordinary Planktothuria, whose position in the family is dubious, 

 and on a single specimen in the PIETER FAURE collection, which 

 seems to be referable to the following nearly cosmopolitan species. 



BENTHODYTES SANGUINOLENTA. 

 Theel, 1881. CHALLENGER Holoth., pt. 1, p. 104; pi. XXIII. 



The single specimen referred to this species is in two unusually 

 solid fragments 50-60 mm. long and 25-30 mm. in diameter. Owing 

 to their condition my identification is based on the colour and 

 general body-form. 



P.F. 16822. Cape Point, N.E. by E. V 4 E., 38V 2 miles, 750 fms. 

 8/VII/03. Green mud. 1 specimen; adult. 



PLANKTOTHURIA DIAPHANA. 

 Gilchrist, 1920. Quar. Jour. Mic. Sci., vol. 64, p. 373. 



Although a careful and complete description is given of this 

 remarkable pelagic holothurian, the locality and depth are recorded 

 only as "deep water off the Cape of Good Hope". 



HOLOTHURIIDAE. 



This large tropicopolitan family is not well represented in South 

 Africa proper, for of the following 14 species, only two occur 

 south of Natal and only half a dozen are from south of Mozambique. 

 All are littoral species, none being reported from a depth of more 

 than 20 fms. Only three of the species are endemic and of these 

 one is new to science. It will be noticed that within the genus 

 Holothuria, the calcareous particles of the skin furnish almost the 

 only reliable guide to the species. The various forms of these particles 

 (tables, plates, buttons, rosettes, rods, etc.) are fully illustrated in 

 Theel's invaluable CHALLENGER Report. 



Key to the South African Species of Holothuriidae. 



Anus not protected by conspicuous calcareous teeth. 

 No large, pointed tubercles on back and sides. 



Tables, more or less well formed, present in the outer layer of skin. 

 Rosettes or perforated plates present with the tables, but no rods or 

 buttons. 



Rosettes and small, irregular perforated plates present, but no 

 large circular plates. 



