224 University of California Puhlications in Zoology. [Vol. 8 



Judging from the obliquity of the ventral area (longitudinal 

 furrow plate) and the location of the small postcingular 3'", 

 Paulsen's (1904) figure 5d is evidently not an "antapical view" 

 of the hypotheca as stated, at least not from the antapex but 

 rather from the direction of the apical pole. He shows five post- 

 eingulars and a furrow plate, but does not represent in this 

 figure the small postcingular 1'" (of my nomenclature). It is 

 also evident that the two plates on the ventral side to the right 

 of the doubled suture line (in his figure d) both belong to the 

 ventral area and that the direction of their boundaries should be 

 somewhat modified. In other respects this figure harmonizes with 

 my findings. His double suture line is evidently the fission line, 

 as will be seen on comparing his figure, as interpreted above by 

 me, with the fission line of text figures. A-D. 



Meunier (1910) has created a new genus, Amylax, for this 

 species and certain other inadequately defined forms, basing the 

 genus solely upon the presence of starch grains in the cytoplasm. 

 He includes in this genus a species which he calls A. lata, which 

 is, however, undoubtedly Gonyaulax triacantha Jorg. I cannot 

 agree that the species he figures is not triacantha. In girdle, 

 spines, surface markings, and dorso-ventral compression it is a 

 typical representative of the species. The outline of the epitheca 

 of the specimens he figures is more convex than in my figures, 

 which are of a skeleton from which cell contents had escaped, 

 and hence its sides are more concave than in his figures. The 

 generic basis he proposes is also, in my opinion, quite inadequate, 

 and might lead to endless confusion if followed. In skeletal 

 structure his A. catenata (= Gonyaulax catenata (Levander) 

 Kofoid) is also referable to the genus Gonyaulax. Since skeletal 

 structure has been generally utilized in generic characters in 

 the dinoflagellates, it seems logical and advisable to follow it in 

 this instance. I therefore reject his genus Amylax and refer the 

 species in it to Gonyaulax. 



Distribution : Fairly abundant in plankton from Alaska, 

 Yes Bay and Loring (55° 40' N, 131° 35' W) taken by U. S. 

 Steamer "Albatross" of the Bureau of Fisheries, September 15, 

 1905. It is to be expected in coastal plankton drifting southward 

 in deeper levels, along the coast of California. 



