8 



LEODICID^ OF THE WEST INDIAN REGION. 



text-figures 1 and 2. The dorsal plates are called the "maxilla," the ventral the 

 "mandible." The basal portion of the maxilla I shall call the "carrier," C, which 

 supports a bifid plate, the "forceps," F. Next to these come the "proximal paired 

 plates," Pp, with the "distal paired plates," Dp, beyond the tips of the forceps. 

 The "unpaired plate," Up, lies at the end of the left proximal paired. Lateral to 

 the distal paired plates are usually smaller accessory plates which are apparently 

 of minor importance in classification. The mandible is composed of two shafts, 

 S, each with a terminal beveled portion, B. In other genera the jaws may differ 

 decidedly from those in Leodice, but this nomenclature will be easily adapted to 

 these cases. 



As is perhaps to be expected in a family so varied as the Leodicidce, a con- 

 siderable number of genera have been described, some of them apparently from 

 imperfect or badly preserved specimens, so that a revision of the genera seems desir- 

 able. It is, however, evident that an accurate revision could follow only a renewed 

 examination of all type specimens, which is doubtless impossible and certainly 

 impracticable at present. I shall attempt, therefore, only such revisions as are 

 made possible by a study of the actual specimens or by a review of the literature 

 where evident errors have been made in the application of the laws of priority. The 

 description of each genus will be taken up in connection with its particular species. 



In the matter of the larger divisions, the system has been much modified from 

 time to time. Audouin and Milne Edwards (1834, p. 136) subdivided the family 

 "Euniciens" into "branchiate" and "abranchiate" forms, distinguishing three 

 genera under the former and four under the latter head, and this same classifi- 

 cation was adopted by Grube (1851, p. 122) and by Johnston (1865, p. 129). 

 Kinberg (1864, pp. 559 to 574) divided the Eunicea into three parts, depending 

 on the form of the jaws, the first part having eight families, each of the other two 

 having one family. Schmarda (1861, p. 114) separated the Lumbrinereidce from 

 the Eunicidce, the former generally without gills, the latter always having them, 

 de Quatrefages (18656, p. 287) used this same arrangement. Ehlers (1864-1868, 

 pp. 280-282) proposed a classification based on jaw structure. While later writers 

 have not adopted this in its entirety, his terminology has been in part retained and 

 it will be instructive to give it here. 



Family EDNICEA. 



Eunicea la bidog na tha . 



Plates of upper jaw dissimilar in form, 

 the small terminal plates in half circle 

 around the end of the forceps. Para- 

 podium uniramous, with several 

 forms of seta;. 



Eunicea prionognatha. 



Plates of upper jaw in rows and more or 

 less alike in form. Parapodia, one 

 branched with one form of seta or two 

 branched with two forms. 



Eunicea lab. tentaculata. 



An unequal number of plates in the two 

 sides of the jaw. Always with ten- 

 tacles. 



Eunicea lab. nuda. 



An equal number of plates in the two 

 sides of the jaw. No tentacles. 



Eunicea prio. monocopa. 



Parapodium one branched with simple 

 setfe. 



Eunicea prio. dicopa. 



Parapodium two branched with 

 simple and compound setse. 



both 



