Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911–14, under the Leadership of Sir Douglas Mawson Scientific Reports: Series C—Zoology and Botany

Abstract

THE labours of Kinberg, Grube, Ehlers, Gravier, Pixell, Ramsay, Benham (1909), and others, besides those described in the Challenger volume, have rendered us more or less familiar with some of the Antarctic Polychsets. The present memoir of Prof. Benham, an able and experienced observer, adds notably to our knowledge of such forms as have been obtained within the half-circle round the Antarctic land. The materials on which his report is based came chiefly from Commonwealth Bay, Adelie Land (Australian Antarctic), though a few were procured off Macquarie and Maria Islands and Tasmania, the collection containing fifty-eight species, of which eleven are new. In his summary of Antarctic forms hitherto obtained the author shows that the largest number of species belong to the Terebellidse, followed in diminishing numbers by the Syllidae, Phyllodocidse, Aphroditidse, Maldanidas, Serpulidas, and Sabellidas, the other families having fewer numbers. Moreover, some species occur in large numbers, such as Thelepus antarcticus, Harmoihæ. spinosa, and Potamilla, antarctica, a feature not uncommon in similar species in European waters. Of his new species, perhaps the most interesting is Amythas membranifera, from Commonwealth Bay, an Ampharetid which has an introversible frilled membrane instead of the usual oral tentacles. Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911–14, under the Leadership of Sir Douglas Mawson. Scientific Reports: Series C — Zoology and Botany. Vol. 6, Part 3, Polychæta. By Dr. W. B. Benham. Pp. 128 + plates 6 + Map 1. (Sydney: Government Printing Office, 1921.) 12s.