80 ALLAN HANCOCK PACIFIC EXPEDITIONS VOL. 25 



This is a long, vermiform species; length is 20 to 30 mm. Parapodia 

 are provided with simple falcigers only. The dorsum has paired rows 

 of large, lateral papillae and many, uniformly small, over the middle. 

 The species is recorded from western Canada to southern California, in 

 slope depths, rocky habitats. 



Sphaerodorum minutum (Webster and Benedict) 1887 



Ephesia minuta Webster and Benedict, 1887, pp. 728-729, pi. 4, figs. 



64-66. 

 Berkeley and Berkeley, 1948, pp. 27-28, fig. 34. 



Collections. The most frequently encountered sphaerodorid in grab 

 samples from shelf depths along the coast of southern California. 



Overall length, based on specimens from southern California, is 1.5 

 to 2 mm; width 0.35 to 0.5 mm; number of segments 16 to 20. The 

 entire dorsum has conspicuous papillae in dispersed arrangement, but 

 usually 5 to 7 rows on a segment can be distinguished. The opaque 

 gizzard is visible through the body wall, in setigerous segments 3 to 6. 

 Ovigerous individuals have few, large ova continued through segments 

 behind the gizzard to the second last one. Large ova measure about 

 0.7 mm across. The posterior end of the body terminates in a pair of 

 larger subspherical lateral papillae, and 2 much smaller ones medially. 



Parapodia are short, have globular dorsal cirri, and setae entirely 

 composite, with the appendage curved and the cutting edge smooth. 



The species is known from New England, western Canada and 

 southern California, in shallow depths. 



Family EUNICIDAE 



Genus Marphysa Quatrefages, 1865 

 Type M. sanguinea (Montagu) 1815 

 This genus is represented in California by 5 species. 



Key to species of Marphysa 



1. Parapodial branchiae at most simple filaments, present on many 

 parapodial segments M. stylobranchiata 



1. Branchiae composite and present on few to many segments . 2 



2. Branchiae palmately branched 4 



2. Branchiae pectinately branched 3 



3. Composite setae spinigerous (PI. 10, fig. 3) ; subacicular simple 

 hooks black and acicular M. disjuncta 



