8 



very short. Anterior lip with the lateral lappets conically produced. Inner 

 ramus of posterior antennae slender and attenuated, composed of 3 well defined 

 joints, the last very small and tipped with a long seta. Terminal plate of 

 posterior maxillipeds provided at the posterior corner with 3 (more rarely 4) den- 

 sely hairy setae separated from the other marginal setae by a rather wide interspace. 

 Caudal lamellae each with 9 claws more or less distinctly denticulated behind. 



Male somewhat smaller than female and slightly differing in the shape 

 of the shell, the posterior part of which is comparatively lover and more exerted 

 below. Dorsal face of the enclosed body exhibiting behind a number of some- 

 what irregular conical projections not observed in female. Eyes much larger 

 than in female, each with up to 16 ommatidia. Structure of the several limbs 

 very little differing from that in female. Copulative appendages well developed 

 and confluent for about half their length, the outer part of each appendage 

 terminating inside in a linguiform lobe, outside in a peculiar incurved hami- 

 form process. Spermatozoa very small in the form of clear nucleated cells 

 produced at one end in a hair-like appendage (see PI. III). 



Colour whitish gray, some parts of the body shining through the shell 

 with a darker hue; ova in the incubatory cavity of the shell pale yellowish. 



Length of adult female amounting to 3.60 mm., of male to 3.40 mm. 



Remarks. The present Ostracod was first described, though very imper- 

 factly by Baird in the year 1860. As the specimen examined by him was 

 taken off the Norwegian coast, I think that the identity of the above-described 

 form with Bairds species cannot properly be questioned. It is the type of the 

 subgenus Vargula proposed by Dr. Skogsberg. 



Occurrence. I have met with this Ostracod not rarely in several places 

 on the western coast of -Norway in greater, depths. Especially I found it very 

 abundant off the Lofoten islands, where it occurred on a soft muddy bottom 

 at depths ranging from 80 to 300 fathoms. Some specimens were also, taken 

 during the Norwegian North Atlantic Expedition at Stat. 195 north of the Fin- 

 mark coast. 



It. is a very active little creature, swimming about rather speedily in a 

 somewhat rolling manner. When disturbed, the animal emits a rather intense 

 phosphorescent light chiefly, it would seem, derived from a yellow fluid 

 secerned from the anterior lip. In habits it is pronuncedly rapacious, feeding 

 eagerly upon any carcass found in its way, and in some instances even attaking 

 living animals. Dr. 0stergreen found at one occasion several still living 

 specimens of this Ostracod within the cloaca and the uterine cavity of a 

 Spinax niger caught in the Trondhjem Fjord, and was thereby led to the 



