738 



"THKTIs" scientific HKSl'LTS. 



Genus C O M A T E I. L A, A. H. Clark. 



Comatella, 1908, A. H. Clark, Smiths. Miscell. Coll. (Quarterly 

 Is8Uo), vol. 52, p. 207 [Actinometra nigra, P. H. Caipenter 

 1888). 



Dlff'ern7itial Characters. — In the genus Goinatella the division 

 series are all of two segments each, and the first two brachials of 

 the free undivided arm are uniteJ by a true or a pseudo-syzygy ; 

 the cirri are always present and well developed. There is never 

 a pinnule on the first brachial. 



Range. — This genus ranges from South-eastern Africa, the 

 Maldive and Laccadive Islands to Southern Japan, the Philip- 

 pines, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, and Northern and Eastern Australia. 



A very similar genus, Neocomatella, i-eplaces it in the Cari))bean 

 Sea and on the Atlantic Coasts of Southern Europe and North- 

 western Africa. 



COMATELLA STELLIGERA [P. H. C). 

 Antedoti (Activometra) teiiax, Liitken, MS. 

 Acthwmetra stdliyera, 1880, P. H. Carpenter, Journ. Linn. Soc. 



(Zool.), vol. 15, p. 198, pi. xii., fig. 26 (near Kandavu, Fiji), 

 Actiiiometra tiotata, 1889, P. H. Carpenter, Journ. Linn. Soc. 



(Zool.), vol. 2l, p. 312, pi. xxvii. (King Island, Mp:rgui 



Archipelago). 

 Anledoyi bassett-smithi, 1894, Bell, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1894, p. 399, 



pi. xxiv. (Macclksfikld Bank, 13-36 fras.). 

 Comatella slelliyera, 1909, A. H. Clark, Vidensk. Medd. fra den 



Naturhist. Forening i Kobenhavn, 1909, p. 136. 

 Differential Characters. — This and the following are the only 

 Australian Comasterids in which all the division series are com- 

 posed of two ossicles united by a readily discernible synarthry. 

 The cirri are always functional and numerous. Coviatella stelligera 

 is easily distinguished from C. viaculaia by its more numerous 

 (about thirty) arms and longer and stouter cirri, which have more 

 than, instead of less than, eighteen segments. 



Specimen in the Australian Museum. — The collection submitted 

 to me included a single specimen of this species from Port Jackson, 

 New South Wales, the first known from Austi-alia. It is of 

 medium size and has thirty-six arms which were originally about 

 90 mm. long; the cirri are Xxii, 18-20, 20 mm. long. The 

 aversion of the distal edge of the brachials is especially well 

 marked, and there is an indication of an eversion of the distal 

 edges of the elements of the division series. 



Range. — Comatella stelligera is found from Port Jackson, 

 N.S. Wales, to Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, the Philippine Islands and 

 Maoclestield Bauk, the Mergui Archipelago, and Ceylon. 



