Some African Rotifers. By J. Murray. 17 



Unnamed Species. 



In addition to the thirty species named in the list, five others 

 were observed, undoubtedly distinct species, but as they have been 

 all previously seen by others, thojugk not yet described, we must 

 wait for the descriptions. 



One [is the Philodina " double " of Mniobia russeola, which is 

 here figured, though not named. 



Another is a species long known to Mr. Bryce and myself. 

 From certain points of structure recently ascertained, I suspect that 

 it may prove identical with Callidina perforata. 



A third is a well-marked species of Adineta, which appears to 

 be the commonest African species. It always occurs in the moss 

 which Mr. Milne sends me. 



Yet another is a species of Habrotrocha, with peculiar spurs, like 

 those of Philodina antarctica Murray (#0). Mr. Bryce has known 

 it for many years, and there is, I believe, some hope of identifying 

 it with one of Ehrenberg's species. 



Summary. 



This list of Bdelloid Botifera from Tropical Africa is another 

 illustration of the abundance of moss-dwelling species in this order. 

 The richness of moss-faunas is only beginning to be understood. 

 The list includes only moss-dwelling species, yet it numbers thirty- 

 three named species, while some half-dozen other distinct species 

 were observed though not yet named. Three species were recorded 

 in the earlier paper on African Botifers (19) which are not in the 

 present list, making a total of thirty-six species for the region 

 examined. 



The thirty-six species are distributed as follows : — Philodina 3, 

 Pleuretra 3, Callidina 9, Mniobia 4, Rotifer 1, Habrotrocha 13, 

 Adineta 3. 



The great preponderance of the pellet-making Habrotrocha over 

 the other genera is noticeable. It is the same everywhere. It is 

 a vast group, [ believe of higher than generic value, which may 

 have to be further subdivided before longr 



The number of peculiar species in the list is remarkable. No 

 fewer than ten of the species were first discovered in this district, 

 and although many or all of them may eventually be found else- 

 where, the fact is an indication that moss-dwelling Bdelloids are to 

 some extent local in their distribution. 



In South Africa Mr. Milne has found many peculiar Bdelloids, 

 some of them very aberrant indeed, and similarly I have found in 

 mosses from South Africa many new species distinct from Mr. 



Feb. 15th, 1911 c 



