EXPEDITION ANTARCTIQUE BELGE 



Basis. Both spécimens were received loosened from the surface of attachment so that 

 their basis could not be investigated. Its shape is broad oval : the interspace betvveen the 

 parietes grows wider in the under part of the shell and thèse parietes extend moreover slightly 

 above the basai margin. 



Size. The greatest diameter of the shell at the base is, in the largest spécimen, not quite 

 6 mm., the height of the shell is nearly 5 mm. 



The structure of the animal's body has not been studied. It would hâve been necessary 

 to sacrifice the larger spécimen for that purpose and this was not thought désirable. In many 

 regards this structure would hâve been found, most probably, similar to that of Verruca gibbosa 

 Hoek, of which a rather extensive description is given at p. i3y-i3S of the Report on the 

 Cirripedia collected during the cruise of the Challenger, i883. 



This species was taken in the Antarctic Région, October i8 th , 1898. It was caught with 

 the Faubert N r VIII, at about lat. 70 S. and long. 8o°48' W. The depth at that place will 

 hâve been about 555 m. to judge from the depth of the two nearest places for which the 

 depth is given. 



Observation regarding the relation of the présent species to the other species of the genus 

 Verruca. The deep-sea species of Verruca bear a great resemblance to one another and as 

 diagnosis and description hâve often been given based on a single spécimen, or at most very 

 scanty material, some at least of the species described may in future turn out to be synonyms 

 only ('). On the other hand it might easily lead to confusion in our knowlegde of the geogra- 

 phical distribution of the différent species, when a form from a spécial locality was identified 

 with a species from another locality, so long as doubt as to their identity is allowed. In the 

 présent case I thought, therefore, there was sufficient reason to describe as a new species the 

 animal collected by the Belgica. Its most characteristic features are, I think, the gênerai shape 

 of the animal as a whole, the absence of the so-called « first » articular ridge from the scutum 

 and the great dimensions of the rostrum and the carina which, in conséquence, form part of 

 the wall of the animal at the side of the fixed scutum and tergum also. Only investigation of 

 a much richer material can prove whether thèse features really hold good to distinguish this 

 form from the by ail means nearly related species : Verruca gibbosa and Verruca quadrangularis, 

 both species described by the présent author from animais collected by the Challenger in the 

 Southern Atlantic. 



With regard to the geographical distribution of the known species of Verruca the following 

 may find a place hère : in ail 25 species ( 2 ) of this genus hâve been described, viz. 18 in the 

 North Atlantic, 3 in the South- Atlantic, 1 (coastal form) Tierra del Fuego etc., 1 (the présent 

 species) South Polar région, 1 Pacific (near Kermadec Islands) and 1 South of the Philippines. 



(1) Aurivillius and Gruvel describe 10 différent species of Verruca as occurring near the Azores, for example ; 

 between some of thèse the différences seem to be very sniall... 



(1) Since this was written, I received a paper of Gruvel (Cirrhipèdes operculés de l'Indian Muséum de 

 Calcutta) published in the Memoirs of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Vol. II, N° I, 1907, in which 4 new species of 

 Verruca are described. They were collected near the Andaman Isls. (Bay of Bengal) and near Malacca Strait. 



(Note during press) 



