African Tardigrada. By J, Murray. 139 



Macrobiotus hufelandioides Murray (?) (10). Plate VII, figs. 5a-5f. 



Variety. — Pharynx nearly round, with two short rods in each 

 row, the one next the gullet twice as long as the other. 



As the figures accompanying the original description only 

 showed the specific characters, the African form is here figured, 

 showing further details. The examples seen were smaller than 

 those from Australia, measuring 250 yu, in lent'th. The claws are 

 not so thick, and I could not see supplementary points, so con- 

 spicuous in the type. There are no eyes, and no " comma " in the 

 pharynx. The fat-cells are few and very large, up to 20 />t in 

 diameter. The first rod in the pharynx is about twice as long as 

 broad, and is slightly constricted in the middle, as though formed 

 by the union of two. The second is little longer than broad. No 

 circlet or " kranz," as Eichter calls it, could be detected at the base 

 of the egg-process. The egg measures about 80 /x over the spines. 

 Possibly a distinct species. 



Habitat. — Uganda and British East Africa. 



Macrobiotus crassidens Murray (9). Plate VII, figs. 6a, 6b. 



When originally described, the egg was unknown. The species 

 is very close to M. intermedius Plate, being mainly distinguished 

 by the broader nuts in the pharynx. The egg was first found in 

 Kikuyu, and proved to differ greatly from that of M. intermedius, 

 while it resembled that of M. aculeatus (10). 



Egg, diameter over shell 50 /x, over spines 70 /jl. Processes 

 closely set on the shell, almost touching at their bases ; each with 

 bulbous base, surmounted by slender undulate seta. Those of the 

 egg of M. aculeatus are narrower, and stand apart, so that part of 

 the shell can be seen between them. 



Habitat. — Kikuyu, British East Africa (coll. A. Allan). 



Macrobiotus allani sp. n. Plate VII, figs. la-Id. 



Specific Characters.— ^mdll; teeth and gullet very slender; 

 pharynx nearly round, with three broad "nuts" and a "comma." 

 Claws of hufelandi type, but slender, united for half theii' length. 

 Egg shortly oval, or round, 80 /a in longest diameter, measured 

 over the spines ; processes close together on the shell, conical, each 

 bearing several spines at the apex. 



Length about 250 //,; no eyes. 



The species belongs to a small group of which M. intermedins 

 Plate (IJ,) is the type. The group contains, besides that species, 

 M. crassidens Murray and M. aculeatus Murray (11). These species 

 are all very similar, and differ chiefly in their eggs. M. aculeata 



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