The Comatulids of Torres Strait. 103 
or more joints, of which 8 or more make up the comb. Arm-pinnules of only 
a dozen joints; even the distal pinnules are short; those at base of arm and 
near middle are stout and the joints have everted and finely serrate distal 
ends. General color in typical specimens, bright yellow-brown; in some cases 
this is very much darkened and has a greenish cast; rarely the tips of the arms 
are green or greenish-yellow. Colors are well kept in alcohol. 
This pretty little comatulid was not at all rare on the reef-flat at Maér, but 
it was nowhere abundant. It is obviously closely allied to both parvicirrum 
and annulatum, but is readily distinguished by the short arms, the well- 
developed and numerous cirri, the character of brachials and pinnules, and the 
distinctive coloration. 
12. Comanthus parvicirrum (J. Miiller). 
This is one of the loveliest crinoids found at Maér, but is not at all common. 
The specimens taken were found on the under side of rock-fragments. The 
typical coloration is rose-red and white. Unfortunately the colors are very 
fugitive in alcohol. 
13. Comanthus samoanum (A. H. Clark). 
Only a few specimens of this species were found. They occurred with, and 
were not recognized as distinct from, annulatum, but can now be distinguished 
without difficulty. 
14. Stephanometra monacantha (Hartlaub). 
A single specimen was taken on the southwestern reef at Maér on October 11. 
It was an active and very graceful swimmer. 
15. Stephanometra stypacantha sp. nov. (orizos = stick + dxavOa = spine). 
Centro-dorsal large, thick, slightly convex, almost completely covered by 
the cirri; its diameter is 3.5 mm., but its bare surface is less than a millimeter 
across. Cirri xxx111, 18, about 12 to 13 mm. long, distally very distinctly com- 
pressed; basal 3 or 4 and terminal half dozen segments more or less shortened, 
the others longer than wide; terminal six or seven may show a longitudinal 
keel dorsally, but this is never marked; opposing claw distinct but small. 
Arms 16, about 70 mm. long, slender and well separated; division series all 2, 
without syzygies; axillaries pentagonal, nearly as long as wide; no lateral 
processes and no tubercles; brachials quadrate at base of arm and distally, 
but 7 to 30 (or thereabouts) more or less markedly wedge-shape; syzygies 
between 3-4, 16-17 and then at intervals of 6 to 8 joints; sometimes between 
9-10, 14-15 (or 15-16) and then at intervals of 5 or 6 joints. P1 about 4mm. 
long, flagellate, with 14 joints, the basal ones stout, but distal ones long and very 
slender; P, similar but much smaller. P, very rigid, 8 mm. long, sharp and 
spine-like (hence the name selected), consisting of 9 joints, of which 3 to 6 
are greatly elongated (3 times as long as thick, or more) and 9 is minute; 
P, similar, but evidently smaller in every way; P; similar to P2, but only 5 or 6 
mm. long; P, similar but much smaller; P; more flagellate, less than 3 mm. 
long and with only 8 joints; P, similar and about equal to Ps; succeeding 
pinnules gradually becoming longer, but not exceeding 6 or 7 mm. and with 
14 or 15 joints; all pinnules more or less cylindrical and with smooth joints. 
Color, uniform deep red-purple, except cirri, which are nearly dull-yellow at 
base and only dark at tip. The color is well kept in alcohol, except that light 
spots at base of arms and distally are now visible, which were not noted in life. 
This species seems to be very well characterized by the numerous, few- 
jointed, nearly smooth cirri, the absence of ventro-lateral processes on the 
arms, and the small number of segments in Py. The form and proportions 
of the lower pinnules also seem to be characteristic. Only one specimen was 
