262 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



three found in the Bay of Naples. To Jatta's thirty-eight species, some 

 of which require correction, twelve are added, nine of which are new 

 species. This brings the list up to fifty species. J. A. T. 



New Sepiolidse. — -Adolf Naef {PiiM. Staz. Zool. Napoli, 1916, 1, 

 1-10, 2 figs.). According to Xaef the well-known Sepiola rondeletii of 

 the Mediterranean is not a true species at all, l3ut includes a whole 

 series of forms. He establishes a new genus Rondeletia, with one species 

 R. minor (based on about 8000 specimens), and a new genus Sepietta, 

 including S. obscura sp. n. (800 specimens), *S'. oiveniana Pfeffer (3000 

 specimens), and *S'. neglecta sp. n. (100 specimens). A satisfactory feature 

 is the abundant material available in most cases. J. A. T. 



Posterior Salivary Glands of Cephalopods.— F. Botazzi {FvM. 

 Staz. Zool. ISfapoli, 1016, 1, 59-146, 33 tigs.). An elaborate investiga- 

 tion of the secretory activity of these glands, and of the nature of the 

 secretion. A very small quantity added to smooth muscle in Ringer's 

 solution provokes strong contraction, and the author discusses the bio- 

 chemistrv of the effect. J. A. T. 



Liver Ferments of Sepia. — Aurel D. Graifaleanu {Publ. Staz. 

 Zool. Napoli, 1916, 1, 155-208). A study of the proteolytic ferments 

 of Sepia officinalis. They are capable of breaking down its own proteids, 

 during the post-mortem autolysis, by reducing them to soluble com- 

 pounds. The natural acid reaction of the liver accelerates the proteo- 

 lysis, but a proteolysis also occurs in alkaline media. The fact is that 

 there are at least two diilerent proteolytic ferments, one active in an 

 acid medium, and the other in an alkaline medium. The proteolysis is 

 more intense in the acid medium. J. A. T. 



Luminescent Bacteria in Cephalopods. — Umberto Pierantoni 

 {PvM. Staz. Zool. Napoli, 1916, 1, 105-46, 3 pis., 3 figs.). The acces- 

 sory nidamental gland consists of variously ramified tubules due to 

 epithelial insinkings and surrounded by vascularized connective tissue. 

 They are not glandular, but they are full of living bacteria. There are 

 three kinds of tubules, red-orange, white and yellow, and in Cephalopods 

 with luminous organs {Sepiola, Rondeletia^ the yellow tubules are absent 

 from the accessory gland, but appear in the photogenic organ. Develop- 

 ment shows that the luminous organ arises as a diverticulum from the 

 accessory gland. The bacteria are handed on along with the ova — 

 hereditary symbiosis. The accessory gland is not nidamental ; it may 

 be a culture area for the bacteria. J. A. T. 



7- Gastropoda. 



Conditions Affecting Growth in Fresh-water Gastropods. — A. 

 Popovici-Baznosanu {Arch. Zool. Exper., 1921, 60, 501-21, 9 figs.). 



