APHRODITIDAE 



83 



carried very much further. The anterior four-fifths of the body is broadly oval, but the 

 hinder fifth consists of a narrow caudal prolongation (Fig. 3). 



The largest specimen measures 50 mm. by 25 mm. at the widest part for 40 chaetigers 

 and the smallest measures 17 mm. by 7 mm. for 35 chaetigers. 

 There is a very small median tentacle, half the length of the head. 

 There is a pair of rounded ocular areas each of which carries two 

 minute black dots, which I take to be eyes. 



The dorsal bristles are long, rather slender, smooth and with 

 delicate curved tips. They are covered with mud and lie obliquely 

 along the back and with the naked eye are almost impossible to 

 distinguish from the rest of the felting. This separates the present 

 species from the much commoner A. australis, Baird, in which 

 the dorsal bristles are much stouter, more abundant and more 

 prominent. 



The extent to which the dorsal bristles are entangled with the 

 felting is variable. They may be almost covered by it, or they 

 may lie for the most part loosely above it. 



The ventral bristles are arranged in three rows in the usual 

 manner. Towards the end they taper suddenly into fine, sharp- 

 looking points, and the narrow tip is usually covered with hairs. 

 In the first and second feet there are the usual hastate bristles and 

 twisted bipinnate bristles and in the hinder region there are found hastate, denti- 

 culated, bipinnate and spinous bristles as in other species. 



Remarks. I am satisfied that these specimens do not belong to A. australis and they 

 agree well enough with Fauvel's redescription of the type of A. talpa, Quatrefages. 

 Fauvel, however, makes no mention of the caudal prolongation which is a noticeable 

 feature in the present specimens. They are very close to the specimen from the Palmer 

 Archipelago attributed by me (1930, p. 37) to A. alta, Kinberg. They can be distin- 

 guished by the presence of the tail, which in A. alta is very little developed. 



Fig. 3. Aphrodite talpa. 

 Ventral view. 



Genus Laetmatonice, Kinberg 

 A median tentacle, beneath which is a large papillated facial tubercle. No lateral 

 tentacles. Eyes on short peduncles. 15-20 pairs of elytra. Dorsal felting either absent 

 or slightly developed. Dorsal bristles harpoon-shaped. Ventral bristles bifurcated with 

 a row of stiff hairs at the tip. 



Laetmatonice producta, Grube. 



Gravier, 191 1, p. 80. 

 Fauvel, 1923, p. 38. 

 Monro, 1930, p. 39. 

 Augener, 1932 a, p. 13. 



Occurrence. St. 363 (3); 474 (10). 



