337 



Note on a New Rotifer, " Limnias Corxuella." 



By Charles Rousselet, F.R.M.S. 



{Read December 28th, 1888.) 



Plate XXIV. 



On one of my visits to my favourite hunting ground, the 

 Gardens of the Royal Botanic Society in Regent's Park, on the 

 21st November last, I came across a Limnias attached to the 

 rootlets of a plant (Triance Bogotensis) growing on the surface 

 of one of the hot-house tanks, which appears to be undescribed 

 and new to science. 



Its aspect as a whole is very striking, and differs markedly 

 from the two known species of the genus, viz., Limnias Cerato- 

 phylli and L. Annulatus. I happened to have both these in 

 my aquarium at the time, so that I was able to compare them 

 with my specimen. 



I have named the new species Limnias Cornuella on account 

 of the shape of the tube, which looks very much like a " little 

 horn." 



The accompanying figures will give a good idea of the general 

 appearance, and the following is a description of its principal 

 characters. 



The tube is much smaller than in the two other species, being 

 only about half the size. It is white, glassy transparent at both 

 extremities, but in the middle rendered more or less opaque by 

 a granular deposit, and ringed like the tube of L. annulatus, but 

 not quite so distinctly. The tube is always gracefully curved or 

 twisted, very rarely, if ever, straight, widening very gradually 

 from the point of attachment to the mouth. It consists of a 

 thin, tough, horny material, and can be pressed quite flat with- 

 out breaking. 



The most striking character of the animal is its two long 

 ventral antennae, surmounted by tufts of long setae. In L. 

 ceratopJiylli the antennae are hardly visible ; in L. annulatus they 

 are short and stumpy, but in the present species they are nearly 



