A MONOGRAPH OF THE EXISTING CRINOIDS 521 



In 1922 Dr. Torsten Gisl^n recorded this species (as Comantheria grandicalyx 

 and as C. grandicalyx var. flagelli pinna) from 3 of Dr. Sixten Bock's stations in the 

 Benin Islands. 



COMANTHEKIA DEUCATA (A. H. Clark) 



Plate 62, Figures 174, 175 



Phanogenia delicala A. H. Clark, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 36, 1909, p. 393 (description; Alba- 

 tross station 5153). 



Comaster delicala A. H. Clark, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 41, 1911, p. 171 (nearly related to C. 

 taviana); Crinoids of the Indian Ocean, 1912, p. 87 (synonymy; locality); Unstalked Crinoids of 

 the Siboga Exped., 1918, p. 37 (in key; range); p. 42 (references; station 282); p. 275 (listed); 

 pi. 14, fig. 18. — GiSLfiN, Nova Acta reg. Soc. sci. Upsaliensis, ser. 4, vol. 5, No. 6, 1922, p. 36 

 (compared with C. d. var. grandis). 



Comaster delicala var. grandis GtsL^N, Nova Acta reg. Soc. sci. Up.saliensis, ser. 4, vol. 5, No. 6, 1922, 

 p. 32 (Bock's stations 45, 51, 59, 60; descriptions and comparisons) ; figs. 26-29, p. 44; pi. 1, fig. 4. 



Comaster delicala grandis Gisl£n, Nova Acta reg. Soc. sci. Upsaliensis, ser. 4, vol. 5, No. 6, 1922, 

 p. 41 (details of arms); p. 44 (reversion); p. 77 (syzygies); figs. 139, 140, p. 95 (pinnule 

 articulations). 



Diagnostic features. — The centrodorsal is large and discoidal and bears a moderate 

 number of fairly stout cirri which are about one-third as long as the arms, from 20 

 to 25 mm. in length, and are composed of 24-25 segments. The opposing spine, as in 

 imbricata, is transverely elongated. The longest cirrus segments are from one- 

 third to one-half again as long as broad, while in imbricata they are about as long as 

 broad or very slightly longer than broad. The arms are 30-47 in number. The 

 elements of the division series have everted and prominent finely spinous distal ends 

 and the brachials have strongly produced and overlapping finely spinous distal edges. 

 Combs occur at intervals to about the thirtieth pinnule. The color is commonly 

 (though not always) white with purple, yellow, or brown markings. The cirri are 

 always conspicuously marked with narrow bands of a darker color, such crossbnnds 

 occurring occasionally also in imbricata. 



Description. — The centrodorsal is large, discoidal, with a broad flat polar area 

 5 mm. in diameter. The cirrus sockets are arranged in a single slightly irregidar 

 marginal row. 



The cirri are XIII-XIX, 24-25, moderately stout, from 20 to 25 mm. long. 

 The first segment is about twice as broad as long, and those following gradually 

 increase in length to the fourth or fifth, which is as long as broad, and the 3 or 4 

 succeeding, which are from one-tliird to one-half again as long as broad. The fol- 

 lowing segments decrease in length, the terminal 14 or 15 being about twice as broad 

 as long. The second and following segments have the distai dorsal edge slightlj' 

 prominent. After the seventh or eighth, which is a well-marked transition segment, 

 the distal dorsal edge becomes strongly produced and finelj' serrate, this production 

 very graduallj- narrowing distally and at the same time gradualh' becoming crescentic 

 and gaining in height. The antepenultimate segment bears a subterminal transverse 

 ridge which bends distally on either side as it decreases in height. The opposing 

 spine is small, median, erect, transversely elongate, not reaching one-fourth the lateral 

 width of the penultimate segment in height. The terminal claw is longer than the 



