no. 1808. RECENT AFRICAN CRINOIDS— CLARK. 17 



Genus COMISSIA A. H. Clark. 



COMMISSIA IGNOTA, new species. 



Actinometra Bell, Rep. Zool. Coll. II. M. S. Alert, 1884, p. 510. 

 Actinometra pectinata Brit. Mus. MS. 



Description. — Centrodorsal discoidal, with a flat dorsal pole 1 .5 min.- 

 2 mm. in diameter. 



Cirri XII-XV, 9-11 (usually 10-11), 4 mm.-5 mm. long; first 

 segment short, second not quite so long as broad, the following increas- 

 ing in length to the fourth, which is about three times as long as the 

 median diameter; the sixth and following are about as long as broad; 

 the third and fourth are strongly "dice-box shaped;" the fifth and 

 following each bear a minute sharp subterminial tubercle; the shorter 

 distal segments are somewhat compressed laterally, and hence appear 

 comparatively broad in lateral view; the opposing spine is slight and 

 inconspicuous. 



Radials concealed; IBr x well separated, the interradial angle of 

 separation being about 90°. 



Ten arms 30 mm.-35 mm. long, resembling in general those of 

 Leptonemaster venustus, but proportionately slightly stouter; genital 

 glands are developed on the pinnules. 



Locality. — Marie Louise Island, and Isle des Neufs, Amirante group ; 

 collected by H. M. S. Alert. 



Depth. — 17 fathoms. 



Bottom. — Coral. 



Subfamily COMASTBRIN.S]. 

 Genus COMANTHUS A. H. Clark. 



Subgenus COMANTHUS. 



Specific group BENNETTIA. 



COMANTHUS (BENNETTIA) WAHLBERGII (J. MUHer). 



Comatula coccodistoma (part) Paris Museum MS. 



Alecto wahlbergii J . Muller, Archiv fiir Naturgesch., 1843, Heft 1, p. 131. 



Actinometra parvicirra (part) P. H. Carpenter, Challenger Reports, vol. 26, 



Zoology, 1888, p. 338.— Bell, Marine Investigations in South Africa, vol. 4, 



pt. 4, p. 141. 



Localities. — Port Natal; Simons Bay, Natal; False Bay; Cape of 

 Good Hope; Algoa Bay, close to Riy Bank (lat. 33° 58' S.; long. 

 25° 51' 30" E.); Tugela River mouth bearing NW. by W., 3£ miles 

 distant. 



Depth. — Littoral, and down to 25 fathoms. 



Bottom. — Dark sand, black specks, and rocks; rocks. 



Remarks. — Hitherto this species has always been confused with 



the common East Indian Comanthus parvicirra, from which, however, 



it is very sharply separated, not even belonging in the same specific 



group. Its closest affinity is with Comanthus trichoptera of southern 



80796°— Proc.N.M.vol.40— 11 2 



