)} 



Eunereis 



1867. 



Nereis 



}) 



)> 



1868. 



j) 



1874. 



Eunereis 



1875. 



35 



326 NEREIS LONGISSIMA. 



Epitokous Form. 



1840. Nereis longissima, Johnston. Ann. Nat. Hist., vol. v, p. 178, f. 9. 



1843. Heteronereis paradoxa, GErsted. Gronl. Annul. Dorsib., p. 177, f. 50, 63, 64, 66. 



1844. Nereis longissima, Thompson. Eep. Brit. Assoc, 1843, p. 273. 

 1851. „ „ Grube. Fam. Annel., p. 50. 



1865. Heteronereis longissima, Johnston. Cat. Worms Brit. Mus., p. 164. 



,, Malmgren. Nord. Hafs-Annul., p. 183. 



,, idem. Annul. Polych., p. 57, Tab. v, f. 32. 



., Parfitt. Trans. Devon Assoc., ii, p. 23 (sep. copy). 



„ Ehlers. Borstenw., ii, p. 525. 



., Mcintosh. Ann. Nat. Hist., ser. 4, vol. xiv, p. 199, 



„ idem. Invert, and Fishes St. Andrews, p. 122. 



Habitat. — Tossed on shore after storms in March and October, St. Andrews (E. M.) ; 

 Peterhead, advanced epitokous female (Mr. John Bain, Fishery Officer) ; Montrose Bay, 

 epitokous forms (Dr. Howden). A small example in the stomach of a flounder at 

 St. Andrews (E. M.). Epitokous forms with the lamellae but slightly developed occur 

 on the West Sands, St. Andrews, at the end of March (E. M.). 



Extends to Ireland (Johnston). 



St. Magnus Bay, 80 — 100 fathoms (J. G. Jeffreys) ; rather small example. 



Ranges to the Mediterranean (' Porcupine,' and Claparede, if his Nereis (Ger atone reis) 

 guttata refers to the same form). Epitokous form, Greenland (CErsted). North Sea. 



Head (atokous) (Plate LXI, fig. 1) somewhat small, broader posteriorly, and tapering 

 anteriorly to a narrow snout, bearing two tentacles of moderate length. The eyes are in 

 some preparations obscure, only indicated by a duskiness of the thick cuticle. They 

 occupy the lateral regions of the broad part of the head, the anterior pair being somewhat 

 wider apart than the posterior. They are best seen in the epitokous form as slightly 

 elevated pale areas with what appears to be a cuticular lens in the centre. The tentacular 

 cirri are short. 



Body much elongated — 10 ins. to a foot or more — and having seventy to two hundred 

 and forty segments, gently narrowed anteriorly so as to give a character to the region, 

 and again diminishing to a slender tail. It is firm and resistant anteriorly, flatter 

 posteriorly, especially in the epitokous female. In the latter the dorsum is of a slate-blue 

 colour, finely iridescent, the corrugated regions at the bases of the feet having a greenish 

 sheen. The large lamellae of the feet are pinkish from the blood-vessels. Ventrally 

 the body is lilac in front, then greenish-blue. The first segment (peristomium) 

 is considerably wider than the succeeding. The body terminates posteriorly in two 

 long cirri. 



The proboscis (Plate LXI, figs. 1 a and 1 b) is of a blackish-blue colour, and probably 

 increases the dusky appearance of the anterior region when retracted. The maxillae are 

 deep brown, with seven teeth (epitokous female). 1 The proximal and distal (maxillary) 

 regions, in extrusion, are mottled and marked by grooves into areas. In some no 

 paragnathi are present, but in an epitokous female the basal segment dorsally has in front 

 of each palpus, on the usual eminence, a group (VI) of four small brownish-black 



1 Ehlers gives seven to ten teeth. 



