2 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 122 



MXi=first maxilla, MX2=second maxilla, MXPD=maxilliped, Pi = 

 first leg. 



We wish to thank Dr. Michel Pichon for the identification of the 

 coral and to express our appreciation for the many courtesies re- 

 ceived from the staff of the Centre d'Oceanographie et des Peches 

 at Nosy Be. 



Family Xarifiidae Humes, 1960 



Genus Xarijia Humes, 1960 

 Xarifia diminuta, new species 



Figures 1-24 



Type material. — 148 99 and 262 cf cf washed from a colony of 

 the coral Psammocora contigua (Esper) in a depth of 1 m, southeast 

 of Ambariobe, near Nosy Be, Madagascar. Collected Sept. 6, 1963. 

 Holotype female, allotype, and 155 paratypes (50 99, 105 cfcf) 

 deposited in the United States National Museum, Washington; 80 

 paratypes (30 99, 50 cT'cf) in the Museum of Comparative Zoology, 

 Cambridge, and in the Zoologisch Museum, Amsterdam; and the 

 remaining paratypes in the collection of A. G. Humes. 



Other specimens (all from Psammocora contigua in 1-2 ni at 

 Ambariobe, collected during 1963).— 10 99, 2d^d^, Sept. 6; 143 99, 

 87 d'd', Sept. 8; 173 99, 116 d^ c^, Sept. 17; and 65 99, 30 d^ d', Oct. 6. 



Female. — Body (figs. 1, 2) moderately slender, about five times 

 longer than wide. Length (not including setae on caudal rami) 

 0.98mm (0.78-1. 18mm), greatest width 0.18mm (0.14-0.21 mm), based 

 on 10 specimens. Segmentation not defined externally. Region 

 dorsal to fifth legs bearing three long, posteriorly directed processes, 

 median one only slightly shorter than lateral ones. Genital and 

 postgenital segments together (fig. 3) less than one-fifth total body 

 length. Areas of attachment of egg sacs dorsal in position. Behind 

 these areas a pair of minute ventrolateral setules. Caudal ramus 

 (fig. 4) 45ai x 17m (width taken at middle), about 2.65 times longer 

 than wide; with four short naked setae (one outer and subterminal, 

 others termmal) and a few minute setules. Egg sac (fig. 5), in one 

 female 290/x x 198/x, contaming usually five eggs in a flattened 

 cluster (in some females six or seven), eggs about 97/i in average 

 diameter. 



Rostral area protuberant in lateral view (fig. 6) between bases 

 of first antennae and bearing relatively long slender setules (fig. 7). 

 First antenna (fig. 7) short (48ju in length without setae) and appar- 

 ently 3-segmented, though middle segment showing partial division. 

 With numerous naked setae, armature bemg 3, 20 + 1 aesthete, and 

 8+2 aesthetes. Second antenna (fig. 8) 4-segmented, formula being 



