258 DR. A. WILLET ON LITTORAL POLTCH.ETA 



4. Hemilepidia erythrot^nia, Sclimarda. (Plate 13. fig. 6 and fig. 26.) 



Hemilepidia erythrotrntiia, Sclimarda, 1861, Neue wirbellose Thiere^ ii. p. 150 ; Marenzeller, 1888, 

 Polychaten der Augra Pequena-Buclit, p. 4. 



This polymeric Polynoid lias, so far as I am aware, only been recorded from the Cape 

 region, and constitutes one of the features of the South African Annelid fauna. 

 Enplirosyne capensis is another characteristic component of this fauna. 



The pigmentation of the elytra consists of a broad sharply defined black area at the 

 mesial borders, which just meet in the middle line. The rest of the surface of the 

 elytra is colovu'less, except for a small dark spot over the scars. 



The principal character by which it differs from the type of Polynoe scolopeudriua is 

 in the curved tip of the ventral setse, which is smooth in H. erythrotcenia and bidentate 

 in P. scolopendrma. 



Locality. Amongst roots of sea-bamboo off Woodstock beach. Table Bay. 



The tentaculum and antennae, especially the latter, are beset with small squamiform 

 papillae. The dorsal surface of the body is devoid of tubercles. 



5. Parmenis CAPEN.SIS, sp. n. (Plate 13. figs. 7 & 8 and figs. 27-29.) 



In the diagnosis of his genus Parmenis, Malmgren * includes the following charac- 

 ters : — " Elytra, paria 15, totum dorsum imbricatum tegeutia. Sette rami superioris 

 seriatim transverse spinulosse, breviores et crassiores quam sette rami inferioris. Hac 

 infra apicem glabrum bifidum vel profuude bideutatum, dente supsriore apice curvato." 



In the definition of the species P. Ljungmani an error has crept into the text, the 

 dorsal setse being described as " paullum tenuiores quam setae rami inferioris " instead 

 of " j)aullum crassiores." 



The Cape specimens which I refer to this group have 15 pairs of elytra and as many 

 as 39 segments, the last G segments uncovered, as happens also in Lagisca. The elytra 

 of the first pair are circular and very much smaller than the succeeding elytra, which 

 have an ovate form with long diameter placed obliquely with reference to the longi- 

 tudinal axis of the body. The outer and posterior borders of the elytra are fimbriated, 

 apparently differing in this respect from the northern type, which is described as having 

 elytra " margine glabro." 



The anal cirri resemble the dorsal cirri in length and form, and, like these, are densely 

 fringed f with elongate papillae. 



The pigment of the elytra is sparse, with an interrupted submarginal tract of neutral 

 tint and a scar-patch. 



The dorsal fascicle of setse is cespitose ; the setae are numerous and much shorter, 

 though only a little thicker, than the ventral. 



The ventral setae are strongly bidentate. 



The posterior elytra, more especially the penultimate, are noticeable on account of 

 their larger size. 



Locality. Amongst roots of sea-bamboo off Woodstock beach, Table Bay. 



* Malmgren, A. J., ' Annulata Polychseta,' 1867, p. 11. 



t The term " ciliated " is commonly employed iu a special sense to describe this condition. 



