16 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.40. 



Genus COMATELLA A. H. Clark. 



COMATELLA MACULATA (P. H. Carpenter). 



Actinometra multiradiata Bell, Trans. Linn. Soc. (Zool.), (2), vol. 13, 1909, pt. 

 1, p. 20. 



Localities. — Salomon, from the reef; Coin Peros. 



Remarks. — -The specimen from Salomon, which I examined at the 

 British Museum, has twenty-six arms 85 mm. long; the cirri are 

 XXI, 15-18. The IIIBr series are all developed externally. Com- 

 pared directly with the type of Carpenter's maculata, this specimen is 

 found to differ only in having more numerous arms. 



Genus CAPILLASTER A. H. Clark. 

 CAPILLASTER MULTIRADIATA (Linnaeus). 



Asterias pectinata (part) Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., 10th ed., 1758, p. 6G3 (reference to 

 Petiver). 



Asterias multiradiata Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., 10th ed., 1758, p. 663 (type-speci- 

 men at Lund, but not references cited). 



Comatula fimbriata Lamarck, Hist. nat. des animaux sans vertebres, vol. 2, 

 1816, p. 535. 



Comatula coccodistoma (Paris Museum MS.) Dujardin and Htjpe, Hist. nat. des 

 zoophytes; eohinoderrnes, 1862, p. 208. 



Actinometra coppingeri Bell, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1882, p. 535. — Rep. 

 Zool. Coll. H. M. S. Alert, 1884, p. 168, pi. 16, fig. B. 



Actinometra multiradiata P. H. Carpenter, Challenger Reports, vol. 26, 1888, 

 Zoology, p. 322, pi. 66, figs. 1-3. 



Capillastcr multiradiata A. H. Clark, Vid. Medd. fra den naturhist. Forening i 

 Kjzfbenhavn, 1909, p. 134. 



Localities. — Madagascar; Cape St. Andre, Madagascar. 



Depth. — Littoral, and down to about 30 meters. 



In the Paris Museum there are three specimens of this species from 

 Madagascar; one has the cirri XV, 21-23, and nineteen arms, one 

 IIBr series being lacking; two of the IIBr series are 2, the remaining 

 seven being 4 (3+4); another (Cape St. Andre; about 30 meters) has 

 the cirri XVIII, 21-22, and twelve arms, one ray bearing two IIBr 4 

 (3 + 4) series ; the brachials are very short and overlap rather strongly ; 

 the third is like the first, and also has nineteen arms ; no IIIBr series 

 are present. 



Compared directly with a typical example from the Straits of 

 Sunda, these three specimens are seen to be smaller and proportionately 

 weaker, but otherwise I can find no differences whatever. IIIBr 

 series, very common among East Indian specimens, do not occur. 

 Very possibly these specimens represent a local permanently small 

 race confined to the southeast African region. If this should prove 

 to be the case the name coccodistoma would be applicable to it. 



