442 MEMOIRS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 



the stability of the lens as an organ of definite outline and shape which does not break iip into 

 smaller moieties except in late stages of actual cytolysis. 



The nucleus is large, broadly ellipsoidal, situated just posterior to the ocellus and extending 

 nearly to the autapex. I\Ioniliform chromatin threads are plainly evident. Its major and 

 minor axes are 0.6 and O.-i transdiameter in length respectively. 



No pusules have been figured by Schiitt. The protoplasm is finely granular with a marginal 

 zone which apparently covers most of the body, and consists of rodlets which are placed at right 

 angles to the surface. In cross-section these appear as circular in outline with a definite border 

 and central mass. In preparation fixed in osmic acid these rodlets are replaced by elongated 

 vacuoles which in a surface view appear as irregular openings, or a network, with meshes of 

 varying sizes, and all apparently much larger than the circles in the optical section from the 

 living specimen. 



Scattered through the protoplasm are a number of rosy globules of varying sizes which he 

 designates as oil masses. These change their size easily, giving oft' part of their substance in 

 smaller droplets. Near the oeelhis is a large, yellowish food mass. The coloring of the body is 

 evidently confined to the red oil globules, the protoplasm being left colorless, with no mention 

 made of it in his explanations. 



DiMF.xsioxs. — Length, Qli^-; trausdiameter. 80m; major and minor axes of 

 the nneleus, 49m and 35m respectively ; longest diameter of the ocellus, 30m. 



OccuEREXCE. — Figured by Schiitt (1895) in his Plankton Expedition mono- 

 graph, presumably from the Atlantic or Bay of Xaples. 



CoMPAEisoxs. — Ponchctia compada has the ocellus farther anterior than 

 any other species in the genus. In fact, it is located in the most anterior part 

 of the hypocone, immediately adjacent to the region of the anterior flagellar 

 pore. The nearest apjiroach to it in this feature is found in P. poJjiphemus 

 (Pouchet), as oriented by us. The ocellus is clearly of the integrated iy^c. 

 The extensive antapical loop of the sulcus beyond the probable location of the 

 I30sterior flagellar pore is not imlike that found in other large species, such as 

 P. violescens and P. jiino. 



In view of the fact that in Ponchetia generally (see text figs. 00 and PP) 

 the nucleus lies anterior to the ocellus it is more than probalile that Schiitt 's 

 orientation (1895) is reversed and that the ocellus is posterior in P. compadu, 

 as it is in other species. "We leave the orientation, however, as Schiitt delineates 

 it, until the species is rediscovered when the orientation can be accurately 

 determined. 



Syxoxymy. — This species was ftgiired by Schiitt (1895, pi. 27. fig. 97i-t) and 

 named Ponchetia coiitorta in his accompanying explanation of plates (pp. 169. 

 170). In text references (pp. 96, 97) he cites two of these figures (fig. 97i-2) 

 as P. compada, and on an earlier page (p. 85) cites the figures without quoting 

 the name of the species figured. The question might arise which is the valid 

 name under these circumstances. The name compada on pages 96-97 has pri- 

 ority by position over contorta, on pages 169-170, unless it be held that the prior 

 citation, on page 85 of the figures without name, carries with it the explanation 

 of the figures on pages 169-170 with the name contorta assigned thereon to the 

 figures cited. It seems best to apply the law of priority by i^osition literally 

 and to give compada precedence over contorta. 



