STEGOCEPHALIDAE 79 



uropod i minutely serrulate or pectinate; inner margin of outer ramus, and outer 

 margin of inner ramus, in uropods 2 and 3 also minutely serrulate or pectinate. 



Remarks. Although there are a few specimens which exactly fit the Challenger 

 specimen, the great majority differ slightly as regards the characters set out above. The 

 length of the dactyls of peraeopods 3 and 4 is the most noteworthy difference. It seems 

 that the normal form is as here described and that the Challenger specimen was ex- 

 ceptional. The specimens with short dactyls are mostly smaller specimens, but the 

 length of the dactyls is not dependent on growth changes, because quite small specimens 

 (e.g. juveniles of no. 3) have the typical elongate dactyls. Intermediate lengths also 

 occur. Schellenberg (1926 b) has figured a peraeopod "6" (= 4) with long dactyl in 

 connection with his remarks on bathypelagic adaptations. 



On most occasions hitherto this species has been captured only singly, whereas the 

 'Discovery' on several occasions has taken it in fair numbers, viz. 15, 29 and 31 at 

 a time. 



All the specimens are more or less brown in colour, though some are somewhat 

 bleached. No. 3 is recorded as being "very dark brown", and Note 20 at St. 8 says 

 "jet black in front, abdomen purplish black". The embryos from the brood pouch of 

 no. 13 are white. This brown or blackish colour is found also in E. gigantea, A. abyssi 

 and other Stegocephalids. 



The eyes are completely obsolete. No traces of ocular pigment were visible in any 

 of the specimens, and the optic nerve and ganglion are quite absent. A similar condition 

 was found in the specimens identified by Strauss as Andaniexis abyssi (1909, p. 78). 

 I very much doubt this identification; the size, nearly 20 mm., is against their being 

 A. abyssi, whereas it is in favour of their being P. boecki, which is now known to have a 

 wide distribution in southern waters. Strauss was not a systematist and has perpetrated 

 several synonyms and nomina nada ; it is a pity he did not have his specimens properly 

 identified, especially as he has called the stage of complete degeneration of the eye the 

 "Andaniexis" stage. The true Andaniexis has at least ocular pigment (Sars, 1895), and 

 so far as we know may still retain rudiments of the visual elements and optic ganglion. 

 A re-examination of Strauss' material is desirable, as Schellenberg has shown in regard 

 to the Gauss and Valdivia collections, which Strauss also worked. 



The $ with embryos was caught in June, that with uterine ova in May ; the Cape ? 

 with ova (Barnard, 1916) was caught towards the end of April. The breeding season 

 would thus seem to be autumn and winter in the southern hemisphere. 



There is no evidence of a nocturnal upward migration. 



Our knowledge of the distribution in the south-westerly portion of the Atlantic has 

 been considerably extended, the most southerly locality being 53 25' S off South 

 Georgia, though in the easterly portion of the Atlantic the 'Valdivia' recorded this 

 species from 55 20' S. 



Distribution. North Atlantic (Bay of Biscay to equator); South Atlantic (off 

 Pernambuco and south to 55 S); Indian Ocean; South Africa. 



