A. JEJ. Verrill — Additiotis to the Fauna of the Bermudas. 51 



Actinia melanaster V., sp. nov. 



Plate VI. Figures 3, 3. 



Column in life rather short and hroad, nearly cylindrical, expanded 

 at base, but probably capable of much greater elongation. Tenta- 

 cles numerous (about 76), retractile, very unequal, forming three or 

 more rows, the inner 24 much the largest and longest, tapered, acute, 

 arising well in from the edge of the disk ; outer ones not half as 

 long and much smaller. Two gonidial grooves ; lips raised. 



Color of column, in life, dark reddish brown ; disk with a large, 

 dark brown, stellate central area, with about 24 tapered radii, which 

 run out between the bases of the inner tentacles, and with narrow 

 pale radial lines ; outer portion of disk, between the brown radii, 

 and inner bases of tentacles light yellow. Tentacles, except at base, 

 dark reddish brown, with a central lighter reddish brown stripe. 

 Mouth red, the lips edged with bluish white. 



Specimens preserved in formalin have the following characters : 



Tentacles about 96, long, tapered, acute, strongly sulcated in for- 

 malin preparations, length of inner ones about half the diameter of 

 the disk. They are not very unequal; the inner 24 are, however, 

 larger and longer than the rest and set in considerably from the 

 border of the disk, and rather swollen near the base. They form five 

 cycles or more, and seem to stand in three or four rows. More or 

 less of the outer ones are imperfectly developed and short. Below the 

 tentacles there is a distinct fosse and a marginal fold. On the latter 

 there is a circle of about 24 larger acrorhagi, alternating with smaller 

 ones. The larger ones are prominent, verruciform, and slightly 

 lobulate on the outer or lower side, but apparently not perforated. 

 The column below the margin, as preserved, is strongly vermiculate 

 and sulcate, with about 96 sulci, alternately lai'ger and smaller. The 

 ridges between the sulci are crossed irregularly and closely by strong 

 transverse and oblique or zigzag wrinkles, giving them a vermicu- 

 late appearance. No distinct suckers could be seen. 



Mouth has two strong gonidial grooves and numerous lateral folds. 



Diameter of disk as preserved, 25'"'° ; height of column, 20"^"° ; 

 length of tentacles, 10-15""°. 



Diameter of the column in life, 20 to 30""" ; its length, 40 to 60""" ; 

 diameter of disk and tentacles, 40 to 50'"'". 



Several specimens of this species were found at the entrance of 

 Flagg's Inlet, deeply buried in crevices of the ledges, from which 

 they could not be extracted except by cutting away the rock. 

 (A.H. V.) 



