Redescription of Bolbella calif ornica Allgen, 1951 (Enchelidiidae: 
Nematoda), with Notes on. its Ecology off Southern California 
Gilbert F. Jones 1 
ABSTRACT: Bolbella calif ornica Allgen, 1951 (Enchelidiidae: Nematoda), the 
southern California species of the genus, is redescribed. A limited analysis based 
on 79 specimens is made of its intraspecific variation. As redescribed, B. calif ornica 
may be distinguished from all other species of this genus by the number of esopha- 
geal bulbi, 9 to 10; no previously described species has more than 8 bulbi. 
B. calif ornica was collected from 18 locations on the southern California main- 
land shelf, in the depth range of 5.5 to 9.1 m. Bottom sediments at these locations 
were variable. 
A MULTIBULBATE ESOPHAGUS is characteristic 
of two genera, Bolbella and Poly gastrophora , of 
the nematode family Enchelidiidae. Although 
superficially similar in appearance these two 
genera belong to two separate and distinct sub- 
families, Bolbella to the Eurystominae and Poly- 
gastrophora to the Enchel.idi.inae. Males of the 
Enchelidiinae have reduced buccal cavities while 
those of Eurystominae are well developed, the 
females being well developed in both genera 
(Wieser, 1953). 
To date 14 species have been assigned to the 
genus Bolbella. Nine of these, including 1 from 
California, have been synonymized with species 
of Poly gastrophora, transferred to the genus 
Poly gastrophora, or placed in synonymy with 
other species of Bolbella. The species B. cali- 
f ornica Allgen, 1951 has been referred to Bol- 
bella sundaensis Micoletzky and Kreis, 1930. 
Wieser (1953:133) states "I have no doubt 
that B. calif ornica Allgen, 195 If is identical 
with B. sundaensis , though this assumption has 
be based on the incomplete figures and descrip- 
tion given by the author.” It is difficult to 
evaluate this conclusion on the evidence pre- 
sented in the original description of B. cali- 
f ornica. 
Of Bolbella , 79 specimens have been collected 
off southern California during a benthic sam- 
1 Allan Hancock Foundation, University of Southern 
California, Los Angeles. Manuscript received March 
14, 1963. 
pling program of the Allan Hancock Founda- 
tion using the R./V "Valero IV.” Based on these 
collections a redescription of B. calif ornica All- 
gen is presented. In addition some notes are 
given regarding its ecology on the southern 
California mainland shelf. 
genus Bolbella Cobb, 1920 
type: Bolbella tenuidem Cobb, 1920 
Bolbella calif ornica Allgen, 1951, Figures 1 a-j. 
collections: Redescriptions of the male 
and female are based upon a representative 
specimen of each collected at "Velero IV” Station 
6373-59, off Huntington Beach, California, 33° 
39' 25" N, 119° 01' 00" W, in 9.3 m of water. 
The bottom was fine gray sand with some rocks 
and shells. Specimens were also collected at 17 
other stations on the southern California main- 
land shelf; these results are summarized in Table 
1 . 
REDESCRIPTION OF THE MALE (Fig. 1 a-f): 
Length = 2.72 mm; ratios, a = 31.6, b = 4.1, 
c = 16.0. Head (Fig. lb): labial papillae six, 
more distinct than in female; cephalic setae 
10, length to 12a; buccal cavity well developed, 
13/* X 12ft, and separated into two chambers 
by two chitinous bands, anterior chamber 5ft X 
7 /x, posterior chamber 7ft X 6/*; armature of 
three teeth, large right subventral tooth more 
slender than in female, length 7ft. equipped with 
accessory piece at tip and surrounding tip; two 
160 
