336 
ZOOLOGY OF THE FAR EAST. 
Gegenbaur, Claus, Hatschek, Korschelt and Heider, Shipley and others on both mor- 
phological and ernbryological grounds. 
I have nothing special to add regarding the structure of the reproductive organs 
of these species. 
SUMMARY. 
To sum up, therefore, the three species of Echiuroids found up to the present in 
brackish waters connected with the Indian Ocean agree in general structure with 
several species of the genus Thalassema, Gaertner, from which I see no reason to 
separate them generically. The^^ form, however, a very distinct group in the genus 
and possess certain peculiarities in the structure of the proboscis which are probably 
correlated with their mode of life. It is impossible to say, with our present knowledge, 
what factor in their environment is of more importance in reference to their struc- 
tural modifications, and it may be that life in dense mud and muddy water, and the dan- 
ger of partial desiccation, as Dr. Annandale has pointed out in dealing with the Hy- 
drozoa in this volume, are factors of more importance than change of salinity in the 
water. 
DESCRIPTION OF A NEW MARINE SPECIES OF THAI.ASSEMA. 
Thalassema kempi, sp. nov. 
A single specimen of this interesting species was collected by Mr. S. W. Kemp, 
Superintendent, Zoological Suvey of India, on the reef at the north end of Ross Island 
near Port Blair in the Andamans, orf the 20th of 
February, 191 5. I have very great pleasure in 
associating this new species with the name of my 
friend Mr. Kemp, who has done so much towards 
increasing our knowledge of the Marine Fauna of 
the Indian seas. 
The body as seen in text-figure 2, is cylindrical, 
thicker in the middle and gradually tapering to the 
two ends. It measures 77 cm. in length and 21 
cm. in maximum breadth in the preserved speci- 
men. The proboscis is short and stumpy, and 
slightly truncated at its anterior end ; it measures 
17 cm. in length. The colour of the preserved 
specimen is yellowish. The whole of the proboscis 
and the body are covered with papillae, which are 
very minute and just visible on the proboscis. On 
the body the papillae are small anteriorly, gradually 
increasing in size to the posterior end, where they 
are very large ; a few large ones are also found scattered in between the smaller ones 
over the whole surface. Two hooks of a golden yellow colour, are present ventrally 
behind the mouth in the usual situation. The muscles of the body- wall, specially in 
the middle region, are broken up into twenty distinct bundles. There are four pairs 
Fig. 2. — Thalassema kempi, sp. nov. 
Ventral view of the type-specimen. 
