404 On Alternate Generation of Annelids^ 



SPECIES OF AUTOLYTUS KNOWN AT PRESENT. 



Autolytus Grnbe. 



For synonyms see page 390. 



Autolytus prolifer Gruhe q. a. ; Nereis prolifera O. F. 

 Mallei' ; Nereis corniculata O. F, M. ; Diploceraea cor- 

 niculata Grube ; Syllis prolifera Jo/tnst. ; Sacconereis 

 Helgolandica M. M'u/ler. Polybostrichus Miiilerii Ke- 

 ferst* England, [Johnst.) ; German Ocean, Helgoland 

 (i¥. Mdller). 



Autolytus longosetosus A. Ag. ; Polybostrichus longoseto- 

 sus Orst. Greenland ( Orst.) ; New England (A.Ag-assiz). 



Autolytus Schultzii A. Ag. ; Sacconereis ydmltzii J. 

 MuUer. Trieste {J. Muller). 



Autolytus cornutus A. Ag. Coast of New England, A. 

 Agassiz. 



I have quoted Autolytus longosetosus as probably oc- 

 curring on the coast of New England, as I found the 

 " })arent stock" of a second species of Autolytus which is 

 much larger than the A. cornutus, and which may, on 

 further investigation, prove to be the " parent stock " of 

 Autolytus longosetosus. It reaches a length of more than 

 an inch, has very broad and flat feet, and much longer stiff 

 bristles than the parent stock of Autolytus cornutus. 



[Since this paper was wTitten I have found the males 

 and females of the parent stock mentioned above. The 

 male agrees with the figure given by Orsted of Polybostri- 

 chus longosetosus. The female can easily be distinguished 

 by the small size of the anterior pair of tentacles, and the 

 great number of the anterior rings, no less than ten, which 

 are not provided with long sette. This species is quite 

 common about the wharves in our harbor during the 

 month of April, which is their breeding season.] 



* Zeit. f. Wiss. Zool. 1862, p. 113. 



