296 Mr. G. A. Smith on 



degree of variation known to occur in these genera, authors 

 have refrained from making- specific determinations. This 

 tendency of modern echinologists to resist the temptation of 

 unduly creating new genera and species is of advantage to 

 systematic workers. Attention will be drawn below to the 

 tubercles on the marginal plates, and a suggestion is offered 

 concerning certain spines on the actinal surface. In order 

 that the life-history of these and allied forms may be deter- 

 mined, it is essential that the records of all young specimens 

 should be collated, and that a collection be made of a series 

 of specimens showing the developmental stages. This need 

 is emphasized by the suggestion that some species possess 

 spines only during certain growth-stages. 



An the nea sp. 



Two immature examples from Dar-es-Salaam, G.E.A., 

 15/1/19 ; littoral zone. Coll. Loveridge. No. 14. 



The colour of one specimen is pale yellow and of the other 

 pink. They are approximately the same size, the main 

 dimensions being as follows : — 



R=23. r =12. R=T9/-. 



Body stellato-pentagonal. Disc 6 mm. thick, not elevated ; 

 arms 10 mm. broad at the base, tapering to 3 mm. at the 

 distal end, round and slightly upturned. The lophial line is 

 very distinct, and has fourteen rounded plates, the proximal 

 five of which each have a blunt tubercle increasing in size 

 towards the centre of the disc; the tubercles are roughened 

 but not granulated. The interbrachial arc is subacute. 



The dorso-Iateral plates may be round or hexagonal, are 

 large proximally, but diminish and become more regular in 

 shape distally ; they are covered with well-defined small 

 round granulations. On each side and including the lophial 

 line there are three parallel rows of round plates, extending 

 from the centre to the distal end of the arm. The lophial 

 series reaches the terminal plate, the other two rows stop 

 short at the fourth supero-marginal plate (counting from the 

 distal end). Small valvate pedicellarise are irregularly 

 disposed on these plates, excepting on the lophial line. One 

 specimen appears to have been dead when collected, for the 

 plates on the abactinal surface are much more definite, owing 

 to the granulations having become worn by friction or by the 

 action of the waves. This has made evident an arrangement 

 similar to that in Anthenea flavescens, which in the second 

 specimen is but barely suggested, viz., of a diagonal dis- 

 position of two rows of four lateral plates, leading from an 



