554 BULLETIN 82, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Comanthui, pinguis A. H. Clark, Vidensk. Medd. fra den naturhist. Forening i K0benhavn, 1909, 

 p. 147 (resembles C. bennedi, especially in regard to the centrodorsal and the cirri); Proc. Biol. 

 Soc. Washington, vol. 25, 1912, p. 19 (cirri compared with those of Comitsia littoralis); Smiths. 

 Misccll. Coll., vol. 60, No. 10, 1912, p. 7 (general appeaiance similar to that of Comaniheria 

 grandicalyx); p. 9 (35° 12' N., 159° 44' E., 30 fathoms; 35° 07' N., 139° 44' E., 21 fathoms); 

 Crinoids of the Indian Ocean, 1912, p. 94 (synonymy; localities) .^H. L. Ci.aek, Biol. Results 

 Pishing Exper. F. I. S. Endeavour 1909-1914, vol. 4, pt. 1, 1916, pp. 16, 17 (comparison with 

 C. plectrophorum). — A. H. Clark, Unstalked Ciinoids of the Siboga Exped., 1918, p. 49 (in 

 key; range). — Gisl^in, Nova Acta icg. Soc. sci. Upsal^ensis, scr. 4, vol 5, No. 6, 1922, p. 46 

 (Bock's stations 14, 15, 18; notes); figs. 35, 36, p. 44; Zool. Bidrag frSn Uppsala, vol. 9, 1924, 

 p. 11 (forked pinnule); p. 21 (Moitensen's station 10; distal pinnule replaced by an arm); p. 39, 

 footnote (disk reaches to lIIBr 2 or 4); fig. 4, p. 13; figs. 135-138, p. 95 (pinnule articulations); 

 Vidensk. Medd. fra Dansk naturh. Foren., vol. 83, 1927, p. 10 (localities; notes). 



Comanlhui (Comanthui) pinguis A. H. Clark, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 37, 1909, p. 29 (Sagami 

 Bay, Japan). 



Comanlhus japonica A. H. Clark, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 26, 1913, p. 178 (range in east 

 Asia); p. ISO (8 miles outside Hong Kong; notes). 



Comanthus {Benneltia) pinguis A. H. Clark, Journ. Washington Acad. Sci., vol. 6, No. 6, 1915, 

 p. 214 (southern Japanese species; range and its significance). 



Diagnostic features. — The centrodorsal is large and more or less hemispherical, 

 with the dorsal pole concave. The cirri are numerous, large, and stout, with 25-38 

 (most commonly 28-34) segments of which the terminal 10 or 14 are about twdce 

 as broad as long with the dorsal side carinate and, in lateral view, produced into an 

 angular prominence. The arms are 25-49 (most commonly about 40) in number, up 

 to_200 (usually about 150) mm. long. 



The broad and flattened division series of this species, combined with the large 

 and prominent centrodorsal and the numerous long and stout cirri with short carinate 

 distal segments, giving the cirri as a whole a serrate or scalloped distal dorsal profile, 

 are very characteristic, and as a rule this species is readily recognizable at a glance. 



Description. — The centrodorsal is large and hemispherical, from 10 to 12 mm. in 

 diameter, with a slightly concave polar area usually about 7 mm. across furnished 

 with a shallow median pit. The cirrus sockets are marginal, arranged in 3 or 4 closely 

 crowded alternating rows. 



The cirri are XXVIII-LVIII (usually XXXV-XLV), 25-38 (most commonly 

 28-34), from 30 to 40 inm. in length, large, and stout. The first segment is short, 

 the second is about twice as broad as long, and the following gradually increase in 

 length to the sixth, seventh, or eighth, which is about as long as broad. The next 

 3 or 4 segments are about as long as broad or slightly longer than broad, and those 

 succeeding gradually decrease in length so that the terminal 10 or 14 are about twice 

 as broad as long. At about the twelfth segment the distal dorsal edge begins to 

 project, sometimes only in the median line but more commonly in a broad gablelike 

 ridge with the apex in the center of the distal end of the segment. Distally this 

 ridge narrows while at the same time the dorsal surface of the segments becomes 

 carinate progressively farther and farther back so that in a lateral view the dorsal 

 profile of the cirri distally presents a notched or scalloped appearance. Toward the 

 tip of the cirrus the highest point in the dorsal carination moves gradually from a 

 terminal to a median position. The opposing spine is represented by a low median 

 tubercle which is slightly more than a right angle in lateral view. The terminal claw 



