174 N. Annandalf: : Th-ee Indian Phylactolsemata. [Vol. II, .'08.] 



•■; . Pectinatella burmanica, sp. iiov. 



A.nimal unknown. Statoblast dark brown in colour, very large, 

 almost circular, measuring i'56 X i"75 mm., curved longi- 



" tudinally ; the central capsule relatively small, measuring 



0*458 X 0*63 mm. Circumference armed with numerous 



- minute hooked processes with a very short stem and often 



'■ ■ irregular or abortive in form. 



Habitat. — Lake at Kawkareik, interior of Amherst district, 

 Tenasserim. March, 1908; N. Annandale leg. 



Fig. 5. — Pect. burmanica : part of periphery of statoblast, x 240. 



This statoblast was found attached to the protective tube of 

 the Oligochsete worm Aulophorus tongkinensis^ a most industrious 

 collector of gemmules and statoblasts, whose tubes, so common in 

 Indian ponds and lakes, generally afford some indication of the 

 sponges and polyzoa to be found in the locality in which they are 

 taken. Together with the specimen figured were statoblasts of a 

 species of Plumatella and of two genera of sponges, all fastened to 

 the tube of a single worm. So far as it is possible to say without 

 examining the animal, Pectinatella burmanica is related to P. gela- 

 tinosa, Oka, from Japan, whence I have received some mounted 

 statoblasts from Mr. C. Rousselet. The statoblasts of the latter 

 form are, however, subrectangular in outline and their processes 

 are more numerous and much more constant in form. As regards 

 its shape, the statoblast of the new species somewhat resembles 

 that of Lophopus jheringi, Meissner, but the latter is considerably 

 smaller (o'Sxi'o mm.) and apparently lacks processes of all sorts. 

 As regards the distorted and often degenerate nature of the hooked 

 processes P. burmanica resembles Lophopus himalayanus , hut in the 

 latter form the processes are often more complex and, when they 

 occur, are invariably confined to the extremities of the statoblast; 

 the latter being a feature which may serve to distinguish L. curteri 

 as well as L. himalayanus (if these two are specifically distinct 

 from one another) from all species of the genus Pectinatella. 



