Metalia species
Family: Brissidae	Order: Spatangoida
Locality: Philippines, off Balicasag Island, 2009	Dimensions: 150 x 127 x 80 mm
I got this specimen (and two others) without taxon. As a peripetalous and a subanal fasciole are present, it seems to be the genus Metalia, but what species? There is no frontal indentation, the labrum is not flat but rather pointed and overlapping the peristome, the subanal fasciole is shield-shaped, but with a downwards directed, rounded indentation at the upper part, so building two points, which anal branches lead from. The area below the periproct is sunken. The periproct is tapering to an upper point. In the lower part the point is not so conspicuous. The petals are straight and sunken. Anterior ambulacrum only slightly sunken. Test solid. Colour is white, if thouroughly cleaned. Also in the books of Ashley Miskelly and Henk van Noordenburg Metalia species are shown, which are probably undescribed. In Henk van Noordenburg, Sea Urchines of the Philippines, The Irregulars, I, pages 84-85, Metalia sp2, a specimen is described, which is very similar, however the indentation of the subanal fasciole and the sunken area below the periproct are missing. Actually I could not find any species showing all the features described above. So it might be a new species or a hybrid (have hybrids been reported for Metalia at all?). 24.12.2009