OCR Text |
Show 918 MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON ISOPODA COLLECTED [Dec. I, The abdomen is long and narrow, about as long as the last three segments of the thorax ; it terminates in a short conical process. The antenna; are very long, measuring about 35 millim. ; the fia-gellum is about as long as the peduncle, and is not distinctly jointed. The mandibles are conical in form, with only a single tooth-like process ; they have no palp. The uropoda are short and uniramose, biarticulate. Station 147, 1600 fathoms. EURYCOPE, Sars. Of the eight species described in the following pages, four have been assigned to the genus Eurycope, chiefly as a matter of convenience. E. nora-zealandia, E. frugilis, E. ailantica, and E. intermedia are, I am convinced, rightly assigned to this genus; of the other species, E. sarsii and E. spinosa are probably rightly placed, while with regard to E. pellvcida and E. abyssicola I do not feel capable of pronouncing a decided opinion ; they may be the representatives of a new genus altogether, but the specimens are so imperfect that I do not feel justified at the present moment in removing them from Eurycope, especially since there are no strong reasons to be deduced from the organization of the species, which are decidedly against such a view of their affinities. 1. E U R Y C O P E NOVJE-ZEALANDI^E, n. sp. Of this species a large number of individuals were dredged off the N. island of New Zealand. The largest examples measure up to 12 millim. in length. The head is smooth and narrower than the first segment of the thorax ; the four first thoracic segments are excavated dorsally and increase gradually in lateral diameter up to the fourth, which is the widest; the antero-posterior diameter of the first segment is considerably longer than the three succeeding segments, which are subequal. In the median dorsal line of segments 2-4 (inclusive) is an upright spiny process directed somewhat forwards. The lateral margins of segments 3 and 4 are prolonged into a forwardly directed spine ; two similar spines are found upon the epimera of these and of the preceding segments. The three posterior segments of the thorax are directed backwards ; they are closely adpressed and convex dorsally ; on either side ot the median dorsal line of each segment is a pair of blunt tubercles which in other species (E. fragilis and E. atlantica) are prolonged into spines ; the iateral margins of these segments are directed forwards as spiny processes. The abdominal segment is roughly triangular in form, terminating in an obtusely pointed extremity ; just in front of the articulation of the uropoda is a short lateral process on either side ; the antero lateral margins are prolonged into short, flattened, spiny processes corresponding with those upon the thoracic segments. The antenna? are rather more than twice the length of the body. The uropoda are biramose and very minute ; the inner branch shorter and more slender than the outer branch. Station 168, 1100 fathoms. |