874 EIGHTH PACIFIC SCIENCE CONGRESS 



larhynchus australis and Lionurus nigromaculatus— known only from 

 the area of southern AustraHa and New Zealand, indicate the effective- 

 ness of the wide abyssal reaches of the southern Indian and Pacific 

 Oceans as barriers and indicate that it would be advisable to designate 

 a distinct Tasmanian Sub-province, 



The Boreal Province, characterized by moderate temperature similar 

 to those of the Antiboreal Province, has a continuous Asiatic-American 

 continental shelf which has provided a pathway for the wide dispersal 

 of archibenthic species. Characteristic macrourids, the most adaptable 

 of which have invaded the Okhotak and Bering Seas, are Nematonurus 

 clarki, N. pectoralis, Coryphaenoides acrolepis, C. cinereiis and C. lep- 

 iurus. This province, characterized by extended ranges does not appear 

 to be amenable to subdivision. 



From eastern Australia and the Solomon Islands a broad tongue of 

 warm water, centered on the Tropic of Capricorn, extends eastward to 

 approximately 120° west longitude, and this may be designated the 

 Australo-Pacific Province. The region is poorly explored, particularly 

 in its eastern portion, but its few known macrourids seem to be limited 

 to the province. Among them are Bathygadus cottoides, Coryphaenoides 

 riidis, Coilorhynchus kermadecus and Cetonnrus crassiceps. The nu- 

 merous islands dotting its entire expanse provide ample archibenthic 

 habitats and, with further investigation, it may be possible to establish 

 several subprovinces within this area. 



Extending eastward from southern Japan and the northern Phil- 

 ippines is a deep warm-water mass similar to but somewhat smaller than 

 that of the Australo-Pacific Province. Lack of islands throughout the 

 greater part of its extent restricts archibenthic habitats to its western 

 portion. This Japanese Province shows, through half a dozen species 

 which range far to the southward, some degree of relationship to the 

 Indo-Australian Province (to be discussed later), but it has numerous 

 species not found elsewhere. An incomplete list includes Bathygadus 

 antrodes, Gadomus multifilis, G. colletti, Nematonurus longifilis, Cory- 

 phaenoides marginatus, C. altipinnis, C. nasutus, Coelrhynchus kishi- 

 nouyei, C. jordani, C. productus, C. tonkiensis, C. japoniciis, Hyineno- 

 cephalus lethonemus, Lionurus garmani, L. inisakius and L. condylura. 



The major portion of the Indian Ocean, from its northern borders 

 to almost 40° south latitude and excluding only the extreme eastern 

 portion between Java and Australia, appears to constitute a single 

 province characterized by warm waters at very considerable depths. 

 Little is known of the fauna of its southeastern section, but numerous 

 endemic species extend their ranges from southeastern Africa to the Bay 

 of Bengal and the Andamen Sea. Among these can be counted Cory- 



