MARINE ISOPODA OF NEW ENGLAND, ETC. 



367 



quereau ! , by Capt. J. W. Collins, August 25, 1878, and a fine specimen 

 was obtained in seven fathoms off Miquelon Island ! , south of Newfound- 

 land, by Capt. C. D. Murphy and crew of the schooner 'Alice M. Will- 

 iams,' July 3, 1879. Bars' specimens were collected between Norway and 

 Iceland at stations 18 and 48, of which the respective localities as given 

 by him are latitude 62 44.5' north, longitude 1 48' east, in 412 fathoms, 

 clayey bottom, and latitude 64 3G' north, longitude 10 21.5' west, in 

 299 fathoms, clay and sand. 



Specimens examined. 



VII. SPH^EOMID^E. 



Body short and convex; head transverse; antennulse and antennae 

 multiarticulate, with evident distinction into peduncle and flagellum; 

 mandibles palpigerous; epimera united with the thoracic segments; 

 anterior segments of the pleon short, united and articulated with the 

 large terminal segment; uropods lateral with only one movable ramus. 



This family is sparingly represented on the eastern coast of the 

 United States, and within our limits only a single species ^s found, 

 belonging to the typical genus Spliceroma. The animals are usually of 

 small size, and have the body short, broad, and convex. The head is 

 transverse, and both pairs of antennae are inserted near together below 

 its anterior margin. These organs are much better developed than in 

 the following family. The epimera are faintly indicated in the thoracic 

 segments by impressed lines. The anterior segment of the pleon is sim- 

 ilarly marked with transverse sutures indicating the segments of which 

 it is composed. The last segment is large, and one or more of the pos- 

 terior segments may be notched, tuberculated, spiny, or variously modi- 

 fied, as occurs in many foreign genera. Below, the pleon is much exca- 

 vated for the pleopods, which, as usual, are in five pairs, the anterior 

 three ciliated. In the males a slender stylet is articulated near the base 

 of the inner lamella of the second pair, and lies along its inner side, so 

 that in the natural position they lie close together on opposite sides of 

 the middle line of the body. These pleopods, though received into a 

 cavity in the under surface of the pleon, are not protected by any oper- 

 culum nor opercular plates, as in most of the preceding families, nor is 

 the external pair thickened, as in the Anthuridce. 



