so. 3 HARTMAN: SUBMARINE CANYONS 57 



long parapodial lobes; it measures 43 mm long by 6 mm wide, and 

 consists of more than 70 segments. The prostomium is nearly equi- 

 triangular, widest in front and continuous with the frontal antennae 

 which are directed obliquely forward ; there are no eyes. The first 

 segment is a short, smooth ring without parapodia. The next two 

 segments are longer and wider and similar to each other; each is 

 provided with thick, acicular spines together with slender capillary 

 setae. The spines are sigmoid in their free length and terminate dis- 

 tally in a smooth rounded tip. 



The third segment resembles the first two but has transitional 

 setae in which the spines are slenderer, longer and resemble the 

 smooth, long setae of more posterior segments; in addition there are 

 many shorter furcate spines like those in more posterior segments. 

 Dorsal and ventral cirri are absent throughout, as characteristic of the 

 genus. From the sixth neuropodium and the seventh notopodium a 

 long, fleshy parapodial lobe is present, located along the suprasetal 

 neuropodial and subsetal notopodial fascicle, and from the eighth 

 parapodium there are four such long lobes, above and below the 

 parapodial fascicles; they are cylindrical, fleshy and extend laterally 

 for a distance surpassing half the setal length. 



Two species have been attributed to this genus; they are Asclero- 

 cheilus intenncdius (St. Joseph) from France and A. beringianus 

 Uschakov, from Bering Sea, in 986 meters (see Hartman, 1959, p. 

 424). The genus was recorded from western Canada, in 10 fms, 

 by Berkeley (1930, p. 68). These species may be distinguished as 

 follows : 

 Acicular spines present in first 3 segments; body length 10-15 mm . . 



intennedius 



Acicular spines present in first 2 segments ; length 25 mm 



beringianus 



Acicular spines present in first 2 segments, transitional in third seg- 

 ment; body length to 43 mm calif ornicus 



Asclerocheihis californicus has been recovered only from Santa 

 Monica and Redondo canyons, in depths of 695 and 542 meters, and 

 San Pedro sea valley, in 661 m. 



Oncoscolex pacificus (Moore) 1909 

 Santa Monica en, trawled in 200 m, rocky bottom (1). 



Scalibregma inflatum Rathke, 1843 

 Hueneme en, in 98 m (2 jv) . 

 Mugu en, in 124 m ( 1 jv) . 

 Redondo en, south wall, in 57 m (5 small, ovigerous), 519 m 



