JUM 2% tao* 



BOLLETTINO 



DEI 



Musei di Zoologia ed Anatomia comparata 



della R. UniTersita di Torino 



N. -££>-* pubblicato il 16 Maggio 1905 Vol. XX 



A Revision of the Duchassaing and Michelotti Actinian 

 Types in the Museum of Naturai History, Turin 



by J. Playfair Me Murrich 



The uncertainty which has existed regarding the true systematic 

 position of many of the Actiniaria described by Duchassaing and Mi- 

 chelotti has proved somewhat troublesome to students of the West 

 Indiali Actiniaria and I gladi}' took advantage of opportunities which 

 presented themselves for visiting the Museum of Naturai History at 

 Turin and making a study of the originai forms stili preserved in its 

 collections. I desire to express my deep obligations to Professor Ca- 

 merano and the members of the Museum Staff for their unvarying 

 courtesy and assistance during my visit. 



On reaching Turin I learned that Dr. 0. Carlgren had already 

 examined the specimens, and references to his studies have appeared 

 in his paper on ' Ost-Afrikanische Aktinien ' (1900). I was fortunate 

 however, in fìnding a few forms which Carlgren had not studied and 

 it seemed advisable to persevere in the revision of the specimens which 

 I had contemplated. Various interruptions have prevented the com- 

 pletion of my studies of the specimens until now, but the delay has 

 proved of advantage in allowing me to avail myself of kind criticisms 

 and suggestions from my friend and colleague Dr. J. E. Duerden. 



Unfortunately the specimens of Duchassaing's collection which are 

 stili extant are comparatively few in number and represent only a 

 small proportion of the types which he, personally or in conjunction 

 with Michelotti, described. With the majority of the specimens there 

 were four label s ; one, which was apparently the originai label of 

 Duchassaing; a second, as a rule merely repeating the identification 



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