SOME CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE BIOLOGY AND LIFE 

 HISTORY OF SPIONIDAE FROM CALIFORNIA 



With keys to species and genera and descriptions of two new forms 

 (Plates 45-48) 



By Olga Hartman 



ALLAN HANCOCK FOUNDATION 



The present report concerns itself with members of the family Spioni- 

 dae (polychaetous annelids) from California. The collections originate 

 from different sources. Most were made by the author over a period of 

 years; when they are from other sources, recognition is made. Most of the 

 larval stages reported on were taken from the pier of the Scripps Institu- 

 tion of Oceanography at La Jolla during the spring of 1938; some collec- 

 tions were made in southern California during the author's tenure at the 

 Allan Hancock Foundation of The University of Southern California. 

 The types of new species are deposited in the Allan Hancock Foundation. 



The author is deeply indebted for valuable aids from the Scripps 

 Institution of Oceanography at La Jolla during the spring of 1938, and 

 to Dr. Martin W. Johnson, in whose laboratory plankton samples were 

 examined; to Professor S. F. Light of the University of California, with 

 whom the collections in San Mateo County were made during 1933- 

 1936; and for many opportunities made available at the Allan Hancock 

 Foundation of The University of Southern California. 



Members of the family Spionidae are largely inhabitants of the 

 intertidal zones, particularly abounding in sandy or muddy sand beaches, 

 in crevices, and in rocky situations. Most are free living; a few are known 

 to be destructive (Polydora ciliata); rarely they are commensal (Polydora 

 commensalis). Though largely intertidal, some species have been recorded 

 from over 400 fathoms. They are to be classed with the smaller chaeto- 

 pods, since their length ranges usually from a few to about 50 mm ; rarely 

 they may attain twice that length or even more. Because of their small 

 size, they are frequently overlooked in casual collecting. Records from 

 California include Fewkes (1889, pp. 37-38) with one species (Spio cali- 

 fornica). Tread well (1914, pp. 199-203) with one (or two?) species 

 (Spio acuta and Polydora californicaf), Chamberlin (1919, p. 17) with 

 one species (Morants duplex), Moore (1923, pp. 179-186) with four 

 species (Prionospio alata, Spionides foliata, S. sacculata, and Spiophanes 



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