1^15] Schumaclier: On Blepharocovys cqui sp. itov 103 



Systematic Status 



The genxis Blepharocorys as established by Bundle (1895) included 

 the following species : 



Blepharocorys uncinata (Fiorentini) 1890, Bundle. 1895. 



Blepharocorys valvata (Fiorentini) 1890, Bundle, 1895. 



Blepharocorys unifasciculatum (Fiorentini) 1890, Sharp, 1914. 



Blepharocorys jubata Bundle, 1895. 



The first two of these species had been described by Fiorentini 

 (1890) under the names of Diplodinrum. uncinatum and Entodinium 

 valvatum. Bundle (1895) showed that these two species were undoubt- 

 edly referable to his genus Blepharocorys. And, moreover, on the 

 basi.s of their assigned characteristics they could not be correctly re- 

 ferred to the genera Diplodiiiium and Eniodiniam. or even to the 

 family Ophryoscolecidae. 



Bundle (1895) does not discu.ss Diplodinium ■unifasciculatum 

 Fiorentini ; but it can be seen at a glance that this animal cannot be 

 correctly assigned eitlier to the genus Diplodinium or to Entodinium. 

 In my opinion it may be referred to the genus Blepharocorys Bundle 

 (see Sharp, 1914), hence its name becomes Blepharocorys unifascicu- 

 latum (Fiorentini) Sharp. It lacks (?), however, the spiral anterior 

 process. A glance at the animal Fiorentini has figured as Diplodinium 

 unifasciculatum shows that it could never be confounded with Blepha- 

 rocorys equi. 



Blepharocorys equi may be distinguished from Blepharocorys 

 uncinafa (Fiorentini) by the shape of its frontal cap, which in Blepha- 

 rocorys equi is covered by a right and left dorsal plate and by a zone 

 of cilia on its dorsal surface. In Blepharocorys uncinata (Fiorentini), 

 as described and figured by Bundle, there are no such plates present 

 and the dorsal part of the frontal cap, i.e., the "Sternkuppe" of 

 Bundle, is not ciliated. Furthermore, there is present in Blepharo- 

 corys equi a ventral zone of adoral membranelles ; this zone is not 

 present in Blepharocorys uncinata (Fiorentini). 



Blepharocorys equi diifers greatly from Blepharocorys valvata 

 (Fiorentini) and Blepharocorys jubata Bundle by the fact that in 

 both of these latter species an anterior process is lacking, whereas it 

 is one of the most constant characteristics of Blepharocorys equi. 



The most important characteristics of Blepharocorys equi may be 

 summed up as follows : 



Outer covering of body stiff, inelastic and noncontractile. Body 

 about three times as long as wide, a slender corkscrew-shaped anterior 



