SPIONIDAE 



149 



Genus Prionospio, Malmgren 



Prionospio africana, Augener. 



Augener, 1918, p. 402, pi. vi, figs. 162 and 163, text-fig. 51. 



.' Prionospio, sp., Soderstrom, 1920, p. 238, figs. 137, 148 and 149. 



St. 279. 10. viii. 27. Off Cape Lopez, French Congo. From 8-5 miles N 71° E to 15 miles 

 N 24° E of Cape Lopez Light. 58-67 m. GearOTL. Bottom: mud and fine sand. One specimen. 



rSmm 



T • 05mm. 



^ O 



iO 



b 



a 



Fig. 57. Prionospio africana. 

 a. Anterior end. Dorsal view. b. Hook. 



Description. One specimen measuring 24 mm. by 1-5 mm. It has 37 chaetigers and 

 is incomplete posteriorly. The colour in spirit is a pale reddish brown. The prostomium 

 is fusiform with rounded ends (Fig. 57, a). The palps are missing. On the posterior 

 end of the prostomium is a pair of faint longitudinal parallel markings which I take to 

 be eye pigment. 



The buccal segment on its lateral and ventral surfaces sends forward a large collar, 

 open on the dorsal surface, which extends for about two-thirds the length of the 

 prostomium. The appearance from the side is similar to that of Soderstrom's (Joe. cit.) 

 fig. 137. Behind the prostomium the notopodium of the ist chaetiger sends out two 

 processes which meet in the mid-dorsal line. 



The 1st chaetiger has a triangular cirrus, dorsal and ventral bristle bundles and 

 a rounded ventral cirrus. The foot, however, is a little smaller than the following feet. 

 There is no gill on the ist chaetiger. The 2nd chaetiger has small gills slightly longer 

 than the large dorsal cirrus and unfeathered. The 3rd chaetiger has large feathered gills 

 equal in length to the following five segments. The 4th chaetiger has no gills. There 

 are therefore on this specimen two pairs of gills only. 



