BDELLOID ROTIFERA OF SOUIH AFRICA* 161 



lamella single, undented. Antenna about one-fourth neck 

 width. Teeth large, six. Foot short, stumpy, of probably 

 four segments. Spurs very short cones without interspace. 

 Corona is narrower than the collar ; sulcus a mere slit. Upper 

 lip rises to the top of corona, large, with a broad straight front 

 margin and a parallel distinct ridge well back. Size, up to 

 1/lOOth inch. 



This is quite a handsome sturdy little animal. It is fleshy 

 in appearance, and the distinction between the segments is not 

 always easily discernible. It is a voracious little creature, and 

 soon the dozens that may be seen in a slide settle down to feed, 

 and very quickly the trunks assume barrel-like forms, so that 

 when they then creep they have a trussed-fowl or penguin-like 

 appearance. The shape when feeding is characteristic, all being 

 alike. It is a fast traveller with a long stride, but usually it 

 moves about very little, and remains very quiet for long periods 

 when feeding, and is not easily disturbed. The rostrum is stout 

 and the lamella is single and undented, transparent and almost 

 semicircular. The dental bulb is comparatively large, and the 

 six closely set teeth can be readily seen. 



The lumbar plicae are not very prominent. There are heavy 

 foot-glands, and the spurs are very short, non-divergent and 

 without interspace. Each has a very broad base, and quickly 

 narrows to a sharp point, with a straight line, or barely per- 

 ceptible double curve on the inner border. 



The corona is small and has very short pedicels, and the outline 

 does not narrow in, on the lateral borders. There are two little 

 prominences on the wheels close to the sulcus ; these seem to be 

 small loops, or swellings on cords or ridges from the wheels, 

 running down over the inside edges just into the sulcus, which is 

 a mere slit. The corona is to the prominent collar as 5 to 7. 

 The upper lip rises, practically, to the top of the sulcus, with a 

 very broad, straight front margin, and there is a band or ridge 

 parallel to the front margin, and well back. This ridge seems to 

 rise up from the lateral borders of the upper lip. Both ridge 

 and front margin look bluish green while the rest of the lip is 

 colourless. 



The egg is an oval, equally rounded at both ends and smooth. 



Habitat, — Ground moss, Stellenbosch. Very abundant from 

 the one place only. Dozens were sometimes seen on a slide. 



