288 allan hancock pacific expeditions vol. 18 



General Zoogeography of the Genus 

 Paraphoxus 



Studies on the genus Paraphoxus have been concentrated in only a 

 few widely scattered areas of the world (see Chart I and Table 13). 



In the northern and eastern Atlantic, including the Mediterranean 

 Sea, well studied areas, a single species of the genus is known (P. 

 oculatus == P. maculatus) which is also known from the eastern Pacific, 

 Japan Sea and South Africa. The species may be cosmopolitan in 

 temperate and subarctic regions. 



The western Atlantic Ocean, presumably a well studied area sup- 

 ports only three species of the genus, all of which are known from 

 the eastern Pacific, as well. 



The high latitudes of South America have four, possibly a fifth 

 species, one of which is shared with the three species of Antarctic 

 regions. 



The Antarctic shares another of its three species with southwestern 

 Pacific faunas. 



The southwestern Pacific area, though poorly studied, has nine 

 species, most of which are rather poorly described and not widely 

 collected. 



The central Pacific supports one known species, poorly described 

 or indistinguishable as a specific entity. 



The northeastern Pacific, especially southern California, is well 

 known through the present study. Nineteen species of the genus are 

 known in the area, of which three are shared with the northwestern 

 Pacific and three with the western Atlantic. 



The northwestern Pacific, including Japan Sea and Okhotsk Sea, 

 has seven well known species of the genus and a single species has 

 been described from subarctic Bering and Chukchi Seas. 



From Chart 1 and Table 13 the relationships of the faunas, as 

 known, can be seen. It is clear that the North Atlantic is impoverished 

 of the genus Paraphoxus while the North Pacific has at least 23 distinct 

 species. It would appear likely that the North Pacific was a center 

 for the evolution of the genus and perhaps for the family, as well (J. L. 

 Barnard 1958). It is strange that only one species of the many in 

 the North Pacific has managed to reach European waters (P. oculatus) ; 

 it is a species which, in southern California, is rarely collected and 

 usually at depths greater than 300 ft, not being able to exist on the 



