AUTHOR'S PREFACE TO THE 

 ENGLISH EDITION 



The first edition of this book was published in i960 as one of a series "Fauna 

 of the U.S.S.R." produced by the Zoological Institute of the Academy of 

 Sciences of the U.S.S.R. I there summarized and analysed all that was then 

 known about Pogonophora, not confining my attention merely to the species 

 found in the seas bordering the Soviet Union. Until quite recently the 

 Pogonophora were still a great zoological curiosity and only a few zoologists 

 had any chance of studying them. It is with great gratification that I see 

 that the number of those now studying these animals is increasing rapidly. 

 As Dr. D. B. Carlisle has rightly said, Pogonophora are numbered amongst 

 the rather common animals of the oceans. They are found indeed in nearly 

 all seas. About 80 species have been described (71 in the present publication) 

 and, indeed, in all likelihood the number will soon reach three figures. 



The material for my studies was collected by many Soviet oceanographical 

 expeditions, but particularly by those sent out by the Institute of Oceanology 

 of the Acadamy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R. on board R.V. Vityaz\ I 

 studied the morphology and embryology of Pogonophora within the walls 

 of my alma mater, Leningrad University, and their systematics at the 

 Zoological Institute of the Academy of Sciences. I am greatly indebted to 

 all these establishments. In 1961 I was highly gratified to receive the Lenin 

 Prize for my work on the Pogonophora. 



I hope that the English edition of my book will be favourably received, 

 that it might help zoologists in studying Pogonophora and interest biologists, 

 both research workers and teachers. This edition would not have seen the 

 light of day were it not for the great labour expended by Dr. D. B. Carlisle, 

 who not only translated it but also brought it up to date and added many 

 valuable and interesting notes. I ask Dr. Carlisle to accept my deep gratitude 

 and I am also sincerely grateful to Dr. Eve C. Southward for her substantial 

 additions. I also thank Academic Press and all those who, in one way or 

 another, helped the publication of the book. 



20 May 1963 a. v. ivanov 



