SYSTEMATIC AND BIOLOGICAL ACCOUNT 



117 



Lensia meteori (Leloup), 1934a. 



This charming but rather rare little species occurred at half of ' Discovery's ' East African Stations, 

 and was represented by a single specimen only at four ' Manihine ' Stations off Port Sudan. I have 

 found it once or twice in hauls from 100 m. or more at Villefranche, where Leloup also recorded it; 

 and it occurs also off Split in the Adriatic, from which area Dr T. Gamulin has sent me specimens. 

 It is a species that can easily be overlooked. 



As mentioned earlier in these notes, I believe that Leloup's meteori is closely related to L. subtilis, 

 and not to species of 'Galetta', with which Bigelow & Sears (1937) linked it. Lensia subtilis has 

 unlooped lateral canals in its posterior nectophores, as in all known species of Lensia, whereas in 

 ' Galetta ' spp. the lateral canals are looped, or bend back on themselves. 



It seemed at one time that Lensia meteori was a very distinct species, but at ' Discovery II ' Stations 

 1585-7 fourteen specimens were found (Text-fig. 57 B, C, D) which are intermediate between 

 L. meteori and L. subtilis. They are dealt with as a variety of L. subtilis in my notes on that species. 



Three anterior nectophores were taken by 'Manihine' in July 1950 off south-west Ireland. 



A single anterior nectophore found by ' Manihine ' off Port Sudan has a somatocyst which is pro- 

 duced laterally as shown in Text-fig. 60 C. 



Lensia meteori (Leloup) 

 New Records 



Lensia subtilis var. (-> L. meteori) 



'Discovery II' 



Station 



1585 

 1586 



1587 



Depth (m.) 



500-0 

 1400-700 



55°-° 

 1650-950 



450-0 



Specimens 



