FAUNISTIC RESULTS. 443 



The POLYCHTKTA comprise over 112 species, of which at least 36 are new to science. 

 In regard to these higher worms, Dr. WILLEY writes that the Polychaete fauna of 

 Ceylon bears a circumtropical stamp in contrast, for example, with the northern and 

 the southern faunas : a good many of the species are identical with Philippine forms. 

 The occurrence of a species of Grymcea (a characteristic Scandinavian genus) is rather 

 singular. Perhaps the most remarkable form of all is the new Thalenessa stylolepis 

 obtained from coral masses in the Gulf of Manaar. 



The POLYZOA form a large collection with a comparatively small proportion of 

 novelties, 16 species out of 116. Some are cosmopolitan, and a considerable number 

 extend into other seas, no less than 19 being British species. The chief indication of 

 affinity is, however, with the Australian fauna, as 32 species are in common. Seven 

 species are West Indian forms, and at least 85 are new records to the Indian Ocean, 

 and probably about 100 are new to Ceylon. 



Minute CRUSTACEA, such as Copepods and Ostracods, swarm both on the surface 

 and in the deposits at the bottom. 



The COPEPODA fauna is enormous, and the collection contained many novelties. 

 Nearly 300 species (289 have been identified) were collected ; 80 of these are new to 

 science, and 12 new genera have been required. Nearly all the species found were 

 additions to the known fauna of Ceylon and of the Indian Ocean. The majority (over 

 two- thirds) of the species are from the Gulf of Manaar, about one-fourth are from 

 Galle, and a few only from Trincomalee. 



It is difficult to institute any comparisons with other faunas, as in most seas the 

 more minute Copepods are still very imperfectly known. There was no report on 

 Copepoda in the case of the Mergui Archipelago, and in respect of some expeditions 

 it is known that while free-swimming Copepoda were collected in tow-nets from the 

 surface and intermediate waters, no steps were taken to explore the very abundant 

 fauna living in the bottom- deposits or in and upon the dredged larger animals, or to 

 secure the parasitic forms attached to fish. In the case of the Gulf of Manaar these 

 two last faunas yielded a rich harvest of unknown forms. 



The results brought out by our records that the Ceylon Copepod fauna shows most 

 affinity with that of the Bed Sea and of the Mediterranean is largely due to the fact 

 that we have a better knowledge of these regions than, for example, we have in the 

 case of the Malaysian or Australian seas. Dr. NOKRIS WOLFENDEN* has recently 

 remarked upon the very striking difference in the Copepod fauna between Ceylon and 

 the Maldives. This difference, however, seems to be chiefly confined to the littoral 

 Harpacticidse, which are only represented by five or six species from the Maldives, while 

 in the Ceylon collections they are very abundant. 



In the case of the Ceylon OSTRACODA, out of 77 species 35 were new to science, and 

 nearly all were obtained from the Gulf of Manaar. The majority of the species are 

 new to the Ceylon fauna and that of the Indian Ocean. There is no clear indication 

 * "Fauna and Geogr., Maldive," &c., vol. II., suppl., 1, p. 989. 



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