ANNALS 



OF THE 



SOUTH AFEICAN MUSEUM. 



(VoL. XL) 



1. The Arenicolidf? of SoutJi Africa, including an Account of 

 Arenicola loveni Kinberg. By J. H. ASHWORTH, D.Sc., 

 Lecturer in Invertebrate Zoology in the University of Edinburgh 

 (with Plate I. and Five Text-Figures). 



INTEODUCTION. 



DURING the course of investigations on the genus Arenicola it 

 became necessary to determine the characters and systematic 

 position of A. loveni Kinberg, and to ascertain if this is a valid 

 species or if, as suggested by several writers, it should be merged 

 with A. marina. As a decision regarding the validity and position 

 of the species could be reached only after examination of the type, I 

 applied to Professor Theel for the loan of this specimen, preserved in 

 the Eiksmuseum, Stockholm. I beg to express to him my sincere 

 thanks for so readily entrusting to me this interesting and valuable 

 specimen and also for permitting me to make an inspection of its 

 internal organs, without which a definite conclusion regarding the 

 position of the species could not have been attained. My examina- 

 tion of the type specimen showed that the species A. loceni Kinberg 

 is a valid one. On ascertaining this I wrote to Professor J. D. F. 

 Gilchrist, inquiring if, during his marine investigations, he had found 

 specimens of Arenicola on the shores of South Africa. In reply he 

 sent to me, in July, 1909, four specimens taken in Saldanha Bav, 

 which prove to belong to Kinberg's species. He has since (October, 

 1910) sent to me examples of Arenicola dug from the sand in Table 

 Bay and in Luderitzbucht (Angra Pequeila), and two specimens 

 found cast up dead, after a storm, on the shore of False Bay. I 

 beg to thank Professor Gilchrist for so generously placing these 

 specimens at my disposal. 



From the type specimen and the four examples from Saldanha 

 Bay I have prepared a description, and a new and full diagnosis, of 

 A. loveni. The examples from False Bay belong to this species. 



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