[CEYLON PEARL OYSTEE FISHERIES 1904 SUPPLEMENTARY REPORTS, No. XVII.] 



REPORT 



ON THE 



AMPHIPODA 



COLLECTED BY 



Professor HERDMAN, at CEYLON, in 1902. 



BY 

 ALFRED 0. WALKER, F.L.S., F.Z.S. 



[With EIGHT PLATES.] 



The collection of Amphipoda made by Professor Herdman and Mr. Hornell on the 

 coasts of Ceylon is undoubtedly tbe most important that has ever been brought from 

 a tropical sea. It consists of 80 species, of which 36 are new to science. Six new 

 genera have been found necessary for the reception of some of the species. Several 

 interesting forms have been found among them. The new genus Vijaya is 

 characterized by a curious difference in the structure of the upper antennas in the 

 males and females, as is also the case with the remarkable genus Platyischnopus, 

 Stebbing, the male of which is now first described. Gallea tecticauda, n. gen. and 

 sp., seems to be an abundant form of peculiar structure, being a link between the 

 Amphilochidae and Leucothoidaj, though I have thought it desirable to place it in the 

 former family. Chevalia aviculce, again, I have found difficult to place its 

 affinities are with the Photidae on the one hand, and the Corophiidse on the other. 

 So far it has only been found in pearl oyster washings, and as it is probably, from the 

 structure of the last 3 pairs of perasopods, tubicolous, it is possible that it may be 

 confined to these shells. 



Two of the species taken, Ht/jicria galba and Leucoihoe spinicarixt, appear to be 

 cosmopolitan, and as the first is commonly found in Medusas and the second in 

 Tunicates, it is interesting to note that, possibly from this cause, they show a 

 remarkable power of accommodating themselves to great changes of temperature. 



