ZOOLOGISCHE MEDEDEELINGEN 



UITGEGEVEN VANWEGE 



's RIJKS MUSEUM VAN NATUURLIJKE HISTORIE 



Deel IL 



te 

 LEIDEN 



Aflevering 2. 



IX. — MALAYAN SPECIES OF THE GENERA APHRODITELLA, 

 HERMIONE, LAETMONICE AND APHROGENIA. 

 BY Dr. R. HORST. 



Genus Aphroditella Roule 1 ). 



Mcintosh 2 ) in 1885 first described a minute Aphroditean-worm from 

 the West-Indian abyss, the ventral bristles of which are „densely pilose 

 almost to the terminal hook and provided with a spur as in Laetmatonice" 

 {Aphrod. intermedia)] two years thereafter Ehlers 3 ) among the Annelids 

 of the Blake, from a depth of 1719 M., met with an Aphrodite, that 

 possesses ventral bristles, provided on one side with a beard of hairs 

 (Aphrod. obtecta). Finally Roule among the Annelids of the Travailleur and 

 the Talisman found an Aphrodite from a depth of 1084 M., that also 

 possesses ventral setae with a pinnate appearance; with the two preceding 

 species he ranges this form in a new genus Aphroditella. Several species 

 of this genus appear to be represented in the Malayan abyss. 



Aphroditella malaijana n. sp. 



Siboga-expedition, Stat. 161, east off Kofian-island ; depth 798 M. 



The body is oval, distinctly narrowed in the posterior region like in 

 Aphrodite australis (Challenger Annel. PL YII, fig. 7). The long golden- 

 brown dorsal bristles pierce the grey dorsal felt as in Aphrodite aculeata, 

 but % the iridescent lateral bristles of this species are absent; the dorsal 

 bristles are directed backwards, but they do not quite reach to the median 

 dorsal line. In the posterior half of the ventral side the intersegmental 

 grooves have a sinuous course, as also appears to occur in Aphroditella 

 obtecta (Florida-Anneliden, PL YI, fig. 2). The ventral bristles are shorter 

 than the dorsal ones; their distal part is faintly S-like curved and densely 



1) Expéditions scientif. du "Travailleur" et du "Talisman"; Annél. et Géphyriens, p. 15. 



2) Challenger Annelida p. 38, PL I, fig. 6, PL VI a, fig. 1. 



3) Florida-Anneliden, p. 42, PL VI, figs. L— 8. 



(3— VIII-191G) 



