CONCHODERMA 251 



Six specimens were found together on the side of a baleen plate (Plate I, fig. 3). 

 The surfaces of attachment of the individuals were cemented together to one plate. 

 Other specimens, from a Blue whale in South Georgia, November 1926, have the basal 

 part of the peduncle lobed. 



Most of the material was attached to Coronula diadema (Linne, 1767) and C. reginae, 

 Darwin, 1854, which seems to be the most common host for this cirripede. These species 

 of Coronula were taken from the skin of Humpback and Blue whales. I have never seen 

 the species fixed directly in the skin. Here we may add as new places of situation: 

 baleen plates of Fin and Blue whales and the teeth of Sperm whales. The collector, 

 A. G. Bennett, has written the following regarding the occurrence of this species on the 

 teeth of a Sperm whale in the South Shetland Islands, November 1925: "This whale 

 had the fore end of the jaw curved round to the right. On this curvature barnacles 

 were growing around each tooth. Obviously, the jaw, being bent round the teeth at 

 the anterior end, did not fit the groove in the upper jaw. Otherwise it would be 

 impossible for parasites to establish themselves". In the literature C. aiiritum is 

 mentioned from teeth of the Bottle-nosed whale {Hyperoodon rostra tus). Finally it may 

 be noted that C. auritiim has been taken from other animals, e.g. slow moving fishes 

 according to Dr A. Gould (Darwin, 185 1), and the tail of a large eel {Gymnothorax 

 favagineus) according to Barnard (1924). The species is also found on dead things. 

 Darwin (1851) mentions ships' bottoms. One specimen in this material was taken from 

 the ship's sides (Simon's Town, June 1927). 



Conchoderma virgatum (Spengler, 1790). (Plate I, fig. 4.) 



For synonymy see Nilsson-Cantell, 1921, Zool. Bidrag Uppsala, vii, p. 242. 



8. xi. 25. 2° 02' 09" N, 12° 33' 00" S. Gear NH. Five specimens from ship's sides. 



4. X. 26. Saldanha Bay. From Blue whale, S, i7'6 mm. No. 1170. Two fully grown specimens 

 attached to Pennella. (Plate I, fig. 4.) 



Distribution. Cosmopolitan and pelagic from telegraph-cables, ships, drift-wood, 

 and many animals. The following were hitherto known: fishes, eels, sea-snakes, turtles, 

 decapods and copepods parasitic on whales. 



Supplementary Description. The specimens are all typical C. virgatum. The 

 variations in the shape of the scuta have been discussed by Nilsson-Cantell ( 1 928) . Small 

 individuals have narrower branches as in Fig. 7, b (Nilsson-Cantell, 1928), and large 

 individuals are more like Fig. 7, c (Nilsson-Cantell, 1928). 



The species is also of interest as regards the attachment. It is found attached to ships' 

 bottoms, as were those taken in November 1925. Other floating objects like drift-wood 

 provide a suitable attachment surface for this Cirripede. It is known from many animals 

 as, for example, Mola mola (Broch, 1924), sea snakes, Hydrus platurus (Kriiger, 191 1), 

 the eel, Gymnothorax favagineus (Barnard, 1924), the decapod, Neptunus pelagicus, and 

 turtles (several authors). The Discovery material contains some specimens from the 



