AMPHIPODA OF THE FAMILY 



AMPELISCIDAE COLLECTED BY THE 



VELERO III IN THE CARIBBEAN SEA 



By J. Laurens Barnard 



A small collection of ampeliscids was made by the Velero III during 

 its journey to the Caribbean Sea in 1939. These few specimens are of 

 interest primarily for comparison with the eastern Pacific ampeliscids 

 reported earlier by Barnard (1954). With the exception of a species new 

 to science, all of the representatives are also known from the eastern 

 Pacific. The literature reveals no record of the genus Ampelisca from the 

 Caribbean Sea proper, although Shoemaker (1933) reported A. schellen- 

 hergi from "off Yucatan." 



Preliminary examination of several of the Caribbean species revealed 

 types different from those of the eastern Pacific. This was due to the 

 robustness of the forms and the presence of variations in shape of the third 

 pleonal epimera and in ornamentation of the fourth pleonal segment. 

 Comparison of these specimens with Pacific materials showed that these 

 variations were not of sufficient divergency to warrant the publication of 

 new names, since the two characters mentioned exhibit wide variability in 

 the Ampeliscidae. 



A full account of the Velero III station records may be found in 

 Garth (1945). 



The writer owes a debt of gratitude to the staff of the Allan Hancock 

 Foundation for assistance and support in preparing this paper. 



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