Contributions from the Biological Laboratory of the U. S. Fish Commission, 
Woods Hole, Massachusetts. 
MARINE PROTOZOA FROM WOODS HOLE. 
By GARY N. CALKINS, 
Department of Zoology., Columbia University. 
Comparatively little has been done in this country upon marine Protozoa. A 
few observations have been made by 7 Kellicott, Stokes, and Peck, but these have not 
been at all complete. With the exception of Miss Stevens’s excellent description of 
species of Liclmophora I am aware of no single papers on individual forms. Peck 
(’93 and ’95) clearly stated the economic position of marine Protozoa as sources of 
food, and 1 need not add to his arguments. It is of interest to know the actual 
species of various groups in any 7 locality and to compare them with European forms. 
The present contribution is only the beginning of a series upon the marine Protozoa 
at Woods Hole, and the species here enumerated are those which were found with the 
algae along the edge of the floating wharf in front of the Fish Commission building 
and within a space of about 20 feet. Many of them were observed in the water and 
algae taken fresh from the sea; others were found only after the water had been 
allowed to stand for a few days in the laboratory. The tow-net was not used, the 
free surface Protozoa were not studied, nor was the dredge called into play. Both 
of these means of collecting promise excellent results, and at some future time I hope 
to take advantage of them. 
My observations cover a period of two months, from the 1st of July to the 1st 
of September. During that time 1 was able to study and describe 72 species repre- 
senting 55 genera, all from the limited space mentioned above. In addition to these 
there are a few genera and species upon which I have insufficient notes, and these 
I shall reserve until opportunity comes to study them further. 
I take this opportunity to express my thanks to Dr. Hugh M. Smith for many 
favors shown me while at Woods Hole. 
In dealing with these marine forms from the systematic standpoint, two courses 
are open to the investigator. He may make numerous new species based upon minor 
differences in structure, or he may extend previous descriptions until they are elastic 
enough to cover the variations. The great majority of marine Protozoa have been 
described from European waters, and the descriptions are usually not elastic enough 
to embrace the forms found at Woods Hole. I have chosen, however, to hold to 
the conservative plan of systematic work, and to make as few new species as possible, 
extending the older descriptions to include the new forms. 
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