722 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



Paraonidse.* — Attilio Cerruti gives a full account of Aricidea 

 jeffreysii (MTntosh), and describes two new species of Paraonidae 

 (Levinsenidae) — viz. Paraonis (Paraonides) neapolitana and Paraonis 

 paucibranchiata. A useful key to the family is given, and the distribu- 

 tion is discussed. 



Modifications of Earthworm's Structure Due to Nematodes.f — 

 Luigi Cognetti de Martiis describes the remarkable alteration of the 

 structure of the spermothecae of Dichogaster itoliensis (Michaelspn) — an 

 earthworm from Ruwenzori — owing to the presence of larval nematodes. 



Polychset Larvae. J — F. H. Gravely gives an account of pelagic larvae 

 of Polychsets which he obtained at Port Erin. He deals especially with 

 the metatrochophore and nectosoma stages, and gives a table for their 

 identification which will be very useful to students of Plankton. In 

 two or three cases (Polynoe, Chsetopterus) he has been able to study the 

 trochophore. 



Ciliated Organs of Hirudineae. § — R. Loeser has made an investi- 

 gation of the ciliated organs of the Hirudineae with special reference to 

 the question whether the space into which the funnels open is to be 

 considered as part of the body-cavity, or of the circulatory system, and 

 whether the funnels have direct communication with the nephridia, 

 which open to the exterior. The circulatory system of the Hirudineae 

 corresponds in general to that of the Chaetopods. The dorsal and 

 ventral blood-vessels are the only true vessels present, and even these 

 may be replaced by sinuses, like those of the Gnathobdellidae. The 

 lateral blood-paths are always remains of the body-cavity. The author 

 gives a detailed account of his study of three families. In the Glossi- 

 phonidae, where the segmentally disposed, ciliated organs consist essenti- 

 ally of a ciliated funnel and a capsule to the wall of which it is attached, 

 he found that the capsule was a phagocytic organ communicating with 

 the body-cavity, and transferring its waste products to the nephridia by 

 osmosis. In the Herpobdellidas the ciliated organs give rise to blood 

 corpuscles, and in abnormal cases these may take on a lymphoid 

 character. The products of excretion are carried to the nephridia 

 through the botryoidal vessels, which are particularly abundant about 

 its glandular portion. In the Hirudinidae also, the ciliated organs are 

 in direct communication with the circulatory system, and give rise to 

 blood-cells. In all three groups, therefore, the ciliated organs are what 

 Cuenot called agglutinating, phagocytic organs, and with these occur 

 ciliated cells, which all develop in a similar manner in association with 

 the connective tissue. Physiologically these ciliated organs suggest the 

 "urns" of the Gephyrea, but their origin is restricted to a definitely 

 localised area, and they have not the power of detaching themselves. 



Chsetognatha of Black Sea.|| — L. A. Moltschanoff reports Sagitta 

 bipunctata Q. G., S. euxina sp. n., and Spadella parvula sp. n. The genus 



* MT. Zool. Stat. Neapel, xix. (1909) pp. 459-512 (2 pis. and 10 figs.). 

 t Atti R. Accad. Sci. Torino, xliv. (1909) pp. 699-706 (1 pi.). 

 % Liverpool Marine Biol. Committee Memoirs, xix. (1909) pp. 1-79 (4 pis.). 

 § Zeitschr. wiss. Zool., xciii. (1909) pp. 1-63 (3 pis.). 

 Bull. Acad. Imp. Sci. St. Petersbourg, vi. (1909) pp. 887-902 (7 figs.). 



