NO. 13 coE : RE\asioNr of the nemertean fauna 285 



53. Paranemertes californica Coe, 1904 

 (Plate 28, figs. 34-36) 



P. californica Coe, 1905, 1905a. 



Body. Moderately slender, usually 10-20 cm in length when sexually 

 mature, occasionally up to 45 cm; width, 2-6 mm. 



Color. Rosy or pinkish anteriorly, often tinged with yellow or orange ; 

 intestinal region gray or pale salmon, usually much obscured by dark 

 green intestinal tract ; rhynchocoel fluid red. In some individuals the 

 entire body, including glandular wreath surrounding stylet apparatus, is 

 tinged with green ; this color is often intensified after preservation in 

 formalin. 



Ocelli. Usually 2 or 3 small ocelli lie on each side of proboscis opening 

 and a small cluster of about the same number anterior to each brain lobe 

 (Fig. 34). 



Proboscis. Proboscis sheath J^ to ^ the length of body. Basis slender, 

 about twice as long as central stylet (Figs. 35, 36). There are 2, 4, or 6 

 pouches of accessory stylets and 10 or 11, occasionally 12 or 13, pro- 

 boscidial nerves. 



Other characteristics. Cephalic glands very voluminous, composing a 

 large part of the tissues of the head as far back as the brain region. Cere- 

 bral sense organs elongated and rather large, situated on anteroventral 

 borders of brain and connected with the exterior by large ducts which 

 extend forward to ventrolateral surfaces of terminal portion of head. 

 Longitudinal musculature of the head separated into inner and outer 

 layers by a thick layer of parenchyma. Intestinal caecum very short, since 

 the pylorus opens near the anterior end of a slender part of the mid-gut 

 v/hich extends forward from the main portion of the intestine. Only the 

 latter bears typical paired lateral diverticula of large size. Blood vessels 

 of head and anterior portion of esophageal region provided with many 

 branches extending through the thick layer of parenchyma; more poste- 

 riorly they are gathered into the usual 3 longitudinal vessels, which also 

 have lateral branches. 



The nephridia consist of branching tubules which follow the blood 

 vessels through the parenchyma in the posterior portion of the pyloric 

 region and a short distance posterior thereto. The thin-walled collecting 

 tubules may become greatly distended or contracted so as to almost close 

 the lumens. One or two pairs of efferent ducts open on the dorsolateral 

 aspects of the body near the posterior end of the pyloric region. 



