484 ALLAN HANCOCK PACIFIC EXPEDITIONS VOL. 10 



parapodia, (6) the short, conical nature of both dorsal and ventral cirri 

 and (7) the presence of heavy spines at the base of dorsal cirri. However, 

 it should be noted that in species of some genera the prostomial antennae 

 are altogether lacking, that the comparative size of parapodia and the 

 relative lengths of cirri vary considerably, that heavy acicular spines in 

 notopodia are characteristic only of species of Ancistrosyllis and that the 

 palpi may be very small (Loandalia) or even absent (Talehsapia). 

 Among the 7 characters mentioned by Hessle, therefore, only one appears 

 to be consistent throughout the group; it concerns the asetigerous condi- 

 tion of the peristomial segment. 



At present it seems desirable to conserve the family name, Pilargiidae, 

 distinct from the Hesionidae since in so far as known all representatives 

 of the first completely lack composite setae which the hesionids have. The 

 family characteristics are discussed more fully later. 



The aberrant nature of representatives of this family can be more 

 fully appreciated through a perusal of some of its published accounts. 

 The oldest described species, Ancistrosyllis groenlandica Mcintosh was 

 first referred to the Syllidae. The next 2, Phronia tardigrada Webster 

 and Cabira incerta Webster were regarded among the incertae sedis. 

 Pilargis verrucosa St. Joseph was made the type and only species of a 

 new family. Ehlers (1920) erected a new family, Kynephoridae, for 

 Kynephorus inermis although this was later shown to be unnecessary. 

 Both Talehsapia Fauvel (1932) and Loandalia Monro (1936) were 

 first regarded among the incertae sedis but the affinities of both have 

 been more recently discussed (Mesnil and Fauvel, 1939 and Berkeley, 

 1941 ). The affinities of each of these genera to the others remain obscure 

 but it now seems possible that the pilargiids as known today are distinctly 

 divisible into 2 branches which may ultimately merit separate family 

 rank. In one group including Pilargis and Ancistrosyllis the prostomium 

 is provided with antennae and the peristomium has cirri; in the other 

 including Loandalia and Talehsapia the prostomium lacks antennae and 

 the peristomium is a plain ring. Additional characters are discussed 

 more fully later. 



Five species in 3 genera and posterior fragments of 2 other species 

 are represented in the collections of the Allan Hancock Foundation of 

 The University of Southern California. With these unusual materials it 

 has been possible to elucidate some characters which have heretofore re- 

 mained unknown or obscure. A close study of these species discloses even 

 more strikingly the divergent nature of the various species and prompts 



