46 



SPILERODORnLE. 



When a large globular papilla is included in the section glandular hypoderm fills the 

 interior, and it has a smaller papilla distally. 



Ephesia and Sphmrodorum were both entered by Grube (1851) as genera under his 

 Ariciea, along with the Spionidas and Cirratulidas somewhat after the arrangement of 

 Audouin and Milne Edwards. 



De Quatrefages (1865) considered the Ephesia of Rathke most nearly approached 

 the Syllidae, and hence he appended it and allied forms to that group. He did not 

 observe that the Pollicita of Johnston, the Ephesia of Rathke, and the Sphmrodorum of 

 OErsted referred to the same type. 



The Spha3rodorida3 formed the sixth family of Levinsen's 1 Syllidiformia vera, the 

 Nerillida3 separating them from the Syllidge. In the structure of the bristles — both 



so. 



O-TTL. 



v.m. 



TX.C. 



Fig. 105. — Transverse section of the anterior third of Ephesia gracilis, H. Eathke. 



gs. Large granular ovum. 



d. Modified dorsal cirrus. 



simple and compound — they certainly approach the Syllidae, and even in other respects 

 the relationship is noteworthy. 



In Benham's 2 (1896) classification the Sphasrodoridae were the 11th family of the 

 Nereidiformia and placed between the Grlyceridge and the Ariciidse, yet he observes that 

 the family, though much modified, is allied in some respects to the Syllidae. 



Considerable confusion existed in regard to the species in this family from the earlier 

 records of CErsted and Rathke to those of Greef and Levinsen, the latter correctlv, how- 

 ever, separating Ephesia from Sph&rodorurn, a view emphasised by De St. Joseph and 

 Perrier. Perrier again divided the family into three genera, viz. Ephesia, Rathke, ex. E. 

 peripatus, Hypephesia, Perrier, ex. H. gracilis, St. Joseph, and Sphserodum, OErsted, ex. 8. 

 Claparedei. He was followed by Moore who gave new names to the three species. In 

 Britain the two forms are readily distinguished. The family has a wide distribution, 

 stretching from the North Sea and the Atlantic to the centre of the Pacific and again to 

 the Antarctic seas. 8 



1 'Vidensk. Meddel. Foren. Kjobenh./ 1883, p. 180. 



2 ' Camb. Nat. Hist./ vol. ii, p. 320. 

 Mem. Soc. Zool. de France/ pp. 1—94, text-figs. 



3 c 



