1912. | H. B. Preston: Fauna Symbiotica Indica, 2. E27 
Through the unfailing courtesy of Mr. A. C. Robson of the 
British Museum, who very kindly examined the animal for me, 
Epistethe gonodactyli, x 2. 
as far as it was possible to do so without actually abstracting it 
from the shell, I am able to supply the following note :—‘‘ The 
parasite is found closely adhering to the ventral surface of its 
host’s thorax. The means of fixation were not evident under 
the circumstances in which the animal was examined, though 
it seems likely that the foot may be modified as an adhesive 
organ. The only other character of interest that can be made 
out without dissection, is the presence of (?) epipodial fringes 
displayed all round the region of the foot extending two or three 
millimetres beyond the shell aperture as it rests applied to the 
body of the host. ‘These fringes have a nodulated surface and 
are in many places extensively foliated. As a mere guess I am 
inclined to think they may be respiratory in function, but such 
a question can only be solved by dissection. There seems to be 
no reason, upon superficial anatomical grounds, for identifying 
it with Cochliolepis parasiticus (Stimson, Proc. Bost. Soc. N. 
Hist., 1859, Vol. VI). Examination of from sixty to seventy 
specimens of Gonodactylus chiragra from the same and other eastern 
localities, in the collection of the British Museum, failed to reveal 
more examples.” 
I am in some doubt as to the actual systematic position of 
the present genus; from the shell characters alone and from the fact 
of its being parasitic in its habits, I would suggest the neighbour- 
hood of Robillardia) though the foliated surface of the foot recalls 
certain members of the Trochidae. 
1 Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., London, 1889, vol. ili, pp. 270—71. 
