116 Transactions. — Zoology. 



IV. Notomviata pmtophthalma, sp. nov. Plate IX., fig. iv. 



Specific characters : Body flattened and enclosed in a 

 more or less firm leathery sheath, almost like a lorica, leading 

 to a deceptive similarity between this species and a Eu- 

 chlanidaean. Trophi very large, in middle of the body. Eyes 

 five, one in the anterior of the large dark cervical brain, and 

 two pairs of frontal ones, a large inner and a small outer pair. 

 Tail short. Foot long and prominent. Toes of fair size. 



Although this species has five definite eyes, and although 

 no other Notomviata has more than one, and the Eosphora 

 have three, yet I have decided to call this a species of Notom- 

 mata, because of the instability of the number of eyes all 

 through this family, and its consequent worthlessness as a 

 generic characteristic. For instance, Herr Eckstein (Sieb. 

 w. Koll. Zeits., 1883, p. 361) describes in Notomviata aurita, 

 and in many other Eotifers, specks of crimson pigment front- 

 ally situated. These he concludes to be secondary eyes. 

 Again, in N. naias Eckstein figures two crimson frontal eye- 

 specks, as he also does in N. lacinulata and Proalcs fells. 

 All these Hudson has no hesitation in pronouncing imaginary 

 ("Eotifera," ii., 37). Again, Hudson himself credits EospJiora 

 aurita with three eyes, but two of them are denied by Leydig. 

 In this state of affairs the eye-spots cannot be of great value 

 as a distinguishing character, but the discovery of my five-eyed 

 species may make Eckstein's " imaginary " eye-spots worth 

 reconsidering. There can be no doubt about the objectivity 

 of the five eye-spots in my species, for I examined between 

 twenty and thirty specimens, and they were invariably 

 present. 



The biggest Eotifer I have seen. No colour except the 

 five red eye-spots, situated as hereinafter described. The 

 body is depressed, but raised up above the head and foot so as 

 to make itself very sharply divided off from them, and also to 

 give itself the appearance of bearing a lorica. The part 

 raised above the foot is the tail. The body is slightly longer 

 than broad, and has an outline consisting of many rough 

 curves, which are constant in position, and show that the 

 integument is hardened in the body region. The foot is of 

 good length, about one-third as long as the body; it projects 

 from under the hardened body-integument, ending in the tail, 

 and is terminated by two small toes. The head is of great 

 size, nearly half the bulk of the body. Near the front of it 

 are two most distinct .and highly evertible auricles, cilia 

 beset. These are usually withdrawn, but when protruded are 

 most striking. The whole of the front edge of the head is 

 provided with cilia. The mastax is of great size, and is of 

 the complicated forcipate type. The extreme breadth of the 



