404 CEYLON PEARL OYSTER REPORT. 



"exposed surfaces") are granular as the carapace ; the granules of the hand are the 

 larger and are arranged in longitudinal rows on the lower half of the outer surface ; 

 the other surfaces are smooth. There is a slight transverse groove on the outer 

 surface of the wrist behind the joint with the hand. The proximal part of the upper 

 border of the mobile finger is roughened ; there is a tooth on the biting border of each 

 finger about one-third of its length from the base ; the fingers are grooved and pointed. 

 Distally the upper border of the hand turns abruptly downward at a right angle to 

 the point where the mobile finger is hinged. 



There is a longitudinal groove to the outer side of the upper border of the 

 carpopodites of the walking legs. Colours in spirit (4^ years), yellowish, with a 

 circular brown patch on the gastric region, and brown fingers. 



The new species comes most easily into section I.I.2 of Alcock's key, A.3, p. 139, 

 though carapace length = - 66 the breadth. It is distinguished by absence of shaggy 

 hair, the shallow nature of its grooves, the festooned appearance of its antero-lateral 

 borders, and by its general facies. 



Actaea variolosa, Borradaile, 1902 B.IIL, p. 256, fig. 54. 



Localities : Jokkenpiddi Paar, one specimen (adult S ) ; Navakaddu Paar, three 

 specimens (one adult d , two adidt ? ). 



Description : The grooves which delimit the cardiac region laterally agree in the 

 adult male (b) with their condition in Borradaile's figure, but in the other specimens 

 they are more obvious running back to a slightly indicated transverse groove parallel 

 to and just in front of the posterior border of the carapace. 



The tooth on the base of the dactylus is quite small ; that on the base of the fixed 

 finger is stout. On either side of the base of each of these teeth is a curious little 

 tuft of dark brown hair. 



Actaea peroni (H. M.-Edw.), var. squamosa, Henderson, 1893 (H., p. 357). 



Localities : Coral reefs, Gulf of Manaar, one specimen (adult ? ) ; Navakaddu 

 Paar, two specimens (adult ? and young ? ). 



Description : Add to Henderson's description that there are tubercles on the 

 front and on the antero-lateral border. 



Remarks. These specimens, from two localities, fall under Henderson's description 

 of var. squamosa i.e., the only specimens recorded from India fall into a group having 

 varietal distinction from Alcock's description (A.3, p. 150). The latter applies to the 

 Australian variety, of which I have seen 13 specimens in the British Museum from 

 various parts of the coast of Australia. 



Actaea calculosa (H. M.-El>\\\, 1834) A..!, p. 152. 



Localities : Pearl banks, Gulf of Manaar, nine specimens; off Kaltura, one 

 specimen ; Galle coral reef, one specimen ; Navakaddu Paar, two specimens. 



