146 cobb: dkaconema 



Of great interest also are the adjacent associated internal ven- 

 tral organs, the details of which suggest the discharge of important 

 functions. These internal structures are rich in chromatin. Their 

 number and distribution indicate that in some way they are 

 definitely connected with the tubular organs. 



From a scientific standpoint it is especially desirable that fur- 

 ther observations be made on this remarkable nematode. 



The following notes relate to the suggested type species of this 

 new genus. 



77 



Draconema cephalata, n. sp. 3^9-0 — 2'.2 7.8 — U i-smm. The trans- 

 parent, colorless layers of the cuticle are traversed by 800 to 

 900 plain transverse striae. The striae are rather uniformly 

 fine on the body, but are much coarser on the anterior half of 

 the neck, tho they suddenly cease on the head just behind the 

 amphids.^ 



The fusiform neck ends in a rounded head, set off by the absence 

 of striations. The mouth opening, it would appear, is surrounded 

 by six forward-pointing lips, somewhat longer than they are wide, 

 each rounded in front and supported by a forward-projecting 

 pair of slender chitinous ribs. It is possible that the lips are 

 three in number, and each two-parted. In any case they are so 

 grouped as to form an elevated area on the middle of the head, and 

 are surrounded by six short, forward-pointing setae, having a 

 length about equal to the width of one of the wide cervical annules. 

 The non-striated portion of the head bears numerous arcuate 

 forward-pointing setae of variable size, the largest being half as 

 long as the neck is wide, while the shortest are not very much 

 longer than the minute labial setae already described. The 

 amphids are shaped like the end of a shepherd's crook. Their 

 anterior margins lie close to the lips, their posterior portions near 

 the beginning of the striations. Measured crosswise at the widest 

 part they have a width nearly as great as that of the group of lips 

 when these latter are closed. All the more prominent cephalic 

 setae are on the dorsal side of the head. On the dorsal side of 

 the left amphid, near the striations, there is a pair of stout setae 



1 Proposed new term for the organs hitherto called "lateral organs." 



