32 DISCOVERY REPORTS 



three times the size of the larvae of A.fuegiense in the 'Discovery' collections, placing it beyond the 

 probable range of variation of that species. 



A. fuegiense is, I think, typically a subantarctic species, the 'Discovery' collections providing very 

 many specimens from the Patagonian Shelf and the neighbourhood of the Falkland Islands, and only 

 two doubtful records from elsewhere (South Georgia). The specimens from South Georgia were in 

 a state of de-differentiation, the zooids being reduced to post-abdomens, and the identification is 

 therefore uncertain. 



I disagree with van Name (1945) when he says that A. variable (Herdman, 1886) is 'very likely 

 synonymous' with A. fuegiense. A comparison of the two species is given on p. 33. 



Distribution. Subantarctic (Falkland Islands, Patagonian Shelf, Magellan region, coast of 

 Argentina to La Plata); ? Antarctic (South Georgia). 



Aplidium variabile (Herdman) (Text-fig. 2B) 



Amaroucium variabile Herdman, 1886, p. 216, pi. 29, figs. 7-12, text-fig. 9. 

 For synonymy see Kott (1954), p. 174. 



Occurrence. St. 160: Shag Rocks, 117 m. St. WS72: Falkland Islands, 95 m. St. WS91: 

 Patagonian Shelf, 191-205 m. St. WS93: Falkland Islands, 133-130 m. St. WS219: Patagonian 

 Shelf, 116-114111. St. WS220: Patagonian Shelf, 108-104 m. St. WS235: Patagonian Shelf, 

 155 m. St. WS237: Patagonian Shelf, 150-256 m. St. WS 771 : Patagonian Shelf, 90 m. St. WS 

 772: Patagonian Shelf, 309-163 m. St. WS 781 : Patagonian Shelf, 148 m. St. WS 782: Patagonian 

 Shelf, 141-1461^ St. WS783: Patagonian Shelf, 165-0 m. St. WS787: Patagonian Shelf, 106- 

 110 m. St. WS791: Patagonian Shelf, 95-101 m. St. WS793: Patagonian Shelf, 108-111 m. 

 St. WS 794: Patagonian Shelf, 123-126 m. St. WS 796: Patagonian Shelf, 1 08-1 13 m. St. WS 797: 

 Patagonian Shelf, 115-111 m. St. WS799: Patagonian Shelf, 141-137 m. St. WS808: Patagonian 

 Shelf, 1 10-106 m. St. WS 811 : Patagonian Shelf, 99 m. St. WS 813: Patagonian Shelf, 106-102 m. 

 St. WS816: Patagonian Shelf, 150 m. St. WS 824: Patagonian Shelf, 146-137 m. St.WS838: 

 Patagonian Shelf, 149-159 m. St. WS847: Patagonian Shelf, 57-84 m. St. WS857: Patagonian 

 Shelf, 123-124 m. St. WS865: Patagonian Shelf, 126-128 m. St. WS869: Patagonian Shelf, 

 187-201 m. St. MS 64: S. Georgia, 7-15 m. ?St. MS 71 : S. Georgia, 110-60 m. 



Colony. Colonies of many shapes are present in the collection, the shape depending to some extent 

 on the object to which the colony is attached. The colonies which have been growing on the stems of 

 hydroids tend to be long and narrow and often laterally flattened. Other colonies have apparently 

 been on a sandy bottom and these are usually more globular with a short irregular stalk. Some 

 specimens are slightly lobed. A few colonies have the long narrow finger-like form commonly found 

 in A. fuegiense. 



The colour in preserved specimens is generally pale buff-yellow, buff, or buff-grey. In most cases 

 the surface is smooth and the colony without sand ; although some specimens have a light coating of 

 sand all over, sand, when present, is more often confined to the stalk or basal part of the colony. Usually 

 the zooids show through the test quite distinctly. Definite arrangement of the zooids is seldom ap- 

 parent, but sometimes they are grouped into small indistinct systems. Usually the zooids lie obliquely 

 to the surface of the colony and not at right angles as in Kott's (1954) specimens. The colonies may 

 reach a length of 12 cm. but are generally under 4 cm. in their greatest dimension. 



Zooid (Text-fig. 2B). The length of the zooids varies from 1-5 to 8-o mm. according to the degree 

 of contraction and the development of the post-abdomen. In large zooids the thorax may attain 

 3-5 mm. and the abdomen 2-0 mm. Herdman (1886), in his original account, gave 2-5 mm. as the 



