53 
decidedly assigns to O. nigra a place among the Ophiocomidæ, not 
among the Ophiacanthidæ. It is also worth mentioning that the 
black color of O. nigra would make it absolutely unique among 
the Ophiacantha’s, while it is the usual coloration among the 
Ophiocoma’s. 
After all I cannot doubt that the natural place of O. nigra is 
among the Ophiocomidæ, but that it must form a separate genus 
within that family. 
Having been informed by my friend, Prof. R. Koehler, Lyon, 
that he has come to the same result and, in a memoir now in 
press, has proposed the name Ophiocomina for the new genus 
established for this species, I can only accept that name. 
Regarding the second point, the identification with Pennant’s 
„Asterias sphærulata “, 1 cannot agree with Clark either. Pen¬ 
nant’s figure of this species (British Zoology, Vol. IV, 1777, Tab. 
XXXII, fig. 63) is so poor that it is really impossible to identify 
it with any degree of certainty; that it is one of those species 
with not appressed spines, is certain, but it may be said equally 
well — or badly — to represent any of the three common Brit¬ 
ish Ophiurids to which this character applies, viz. Ophiopholis 
aculeata , Opliiothrix fragilis and Ophiocoma nigra. (Amphiura 
is out of question). The text (Op. cit. p. 63) does not mention a 
single feature which could give the definite proof that the species 
meant is O. nigra. It runs thus: „Ast. with a pentagonal body, 
smooth above the aperturebelow five-pointed; between the base 
of each ray a small globular bead; the rays siender, jointed, taper; 
hirsute on their sides." It is a model of a bad description. To 
change the commonly used and familiar specific name nigra on 
account of this description and figure into sphærulata seems to 
me quite unpardonable. If it were a thing greatly to be desired 
to make this change it might perhaps be done on this account, 
since there is a possibility that Pennant really meant O. nigra 
with his Ast. sphærulata ; but since it would undeniably be a most 
undesirable change, there is really not the slightest reason to do 
so, even for those who want to carry out the priority rule liter- 
aily, without regard to the unhappy consequences of that fatal rule. 
The name of this species must then be: Ophiocomina nigra 
(Abildgård). 
