POLYNOIDAE 



87 



Fig. 5. Harmothoe brevipalpa. 

 Head from above. 



eyes in the middle of the lateral surfaces of the prostomium. The palps are normal, 

 being about twice as long as the head (Fig. 5). The elytra have a few small papillae at 

 the external border and are rather sparsely dotted with small conical tubercles. 



The dorsal bristles are numerous and strongly pectinated. The upper ventral bristles 

 are elongate, slender, bidentate and with a long spinous 

 region: more ventrally they become shorter and more ex- 

 panded distally. The middle ventral chaetae are bidentate. 

 The bristles at the base of the neuropod are unidentate 

 and with a short spinous region. 



Remarks. Augener has rightly pointed out that the new 

 variety of H. impar described by me in 1930 differs from 

 Bergstrom's H. brevipalpa only in the absence of the great 

 reduction in size of the palps which Bergstrom found in his 

 specimen and treated as an important specific differential. 

 Augener further holds the view that the reduction of the 

 palps in Bergstrom's specimen was an accidental condition 



due to loss followed by regeneration. As a number of specimens have been found 

 since Bergstrom's original description which agree with his type except in the matter 

 of the palps, I accept Augener's conclusion. My H. impar var. notialis therefore becomes 

 a synonym of H. brevipalpa. 



Harmothoe brevipalpa, Bergstrom, var. ciliata, var.nov. (Fig, 6). 

 Occurrence. St. WS 583 (i). 



Varietal characters. The variety differs from the stem-form in that the outer and 

 posterior borders of the elytra are furnished with a fringe 

 of long cilia. Moreover, cilia are not confined to the 

 marginal fringe but are found over a great part of the 

 surface of the scale (Fig. 6), especially in the area adjoining 

 the fringe. In other respects the variety and the stem-form 

 are indistinguishable. 



Remarks. This variety is based on a single complete 

 specimen measuring 13 mm. by 3 mm. for 35 chaetigers. 



Harmothoe benthophila, Ehlers. 

 Fauvel, 1923, p. 68, figs. 24 h-o. 



Occurrence. St. 702 (i). 



Specific characters. Prostomium bilobed without 

 frontal peaks. Median tentacle longer than the palps, 

 lateral tentacles shorter than the head. Ten to eleven pairs of elytra covering the back; 

 they are large, soft, transparent and carry a few papillae. Dorsal bristles of two sorts: 

 (i) short and curved with rows of scales and tips ending in two blunt points, (2) very 

 long straight bristles with spirally arranged scales and tips also ending in two blunt points. 



Fig. 6. Harmothoe brevipalpa, 

 var. ciliata. Elytron. 



