1844.
1851.
1865.
1875.
1878.
1879.
1883.
1884.
1886.
1891.
1896.
1897.
1898.
Pholoë assimilis, Oersted. Kroyer Nat, Tidskr. Anden Række, Bd. i, p. 404.
„ minuta, Grube. Fam. d. An., 38.
„ inomata, Johnston. Cat. B. M., p. 121, pl. xiii, f. 1—5 ; and Baird, p. 340.
„ minuta, Malmgren. Nord. Hafs-Ann., p. 89, Tab. xi, f. 13, and An. Poly., 17.
„ „ De Quatrefages. Hist. Nat. Annelés, yol. i, p. 188.
,, inomata and baltica, idem. Ibid., p. 190.
„ minuta, Möbius. Jahresb. Corn., 1871, p. 112.
j, }i Metzger. Ibid., p. 175.
„ . „ Ehlers. Sitzungsb. Phys.-med. Soc., Erlangen, vol. v, p. 8.
}) }} Malm. Göteborgs Kongl. vet. o Yitt. Samhalles Handl. Ny Tidsfôljd,
Haftet xiv, p. 76.
' fi „ Möbius. Jahresb. Com., 1872, p. 167.
„ ,, Lenz. Jahresb. Com. Anhang, 1874, p. 12.
}} }i Théel. Annel. Nov. Zemb. Kongl. Sv. vet. Akad. Handl., vol. xvi, p. 24.
,, „ Tauber. Ann. Danic., p. 84.
„ inomata, Levinsen. Nord. Annul., p. 199.
)} „ Webster and Benedict. Ann. Mass., p. 701.
„ „ Marenzeller. Porif., &c., Jan Meyen, p. 12.
„ ,, Homell. Op. cit., p. 239.
,, eximia, Michaelsen. Polych. Fauna, p. 12, pl. i, f. 2.
„ minuta, McIntosh. Ann. Nat. Hist., ser. 6, vol. xx, p. 169.
„ „ Michaelsen. Grönland. Ann., p. 122.
Habitat.—Everywhere on the shores of Britain from Shetland to the Channel
Islands, where it attains the maximum size, and from the tidal region to the coralline
ground. It lurks under stones between tide-marks, especially in pools. It is somewhat
difficult to find, and perhaps is best obtained by placing suitable stones in vessels
of sea water overnight, and. then examining the water-line next day.
The variety inornata is more common on the eastern coast, whilst the variety eximia
is more frequent in the west and south.
The species extends to Jan Meyen and to the shores of America (Yerrill). Lenz
found it in the grass-wrack region of the BaltiCj and Michaelsen in the tubes of
Sabellaria spimdosa at Heligoland.
Head (Plate XXIX, fig. 8) somewhat rounded and comparatively small, having
anteriorly a rather short median tentacle with a few papillae on the surface. The eyes
are four in number; but as the pigment of the pairs touches on each side, they are
connate.1 Lateral tentacles absent. Two prominent papillaB project immediately
behind the eyes. The palpi are somewhat massive, short, tapering organs, with a smooth
surface. Two short, tapering, tentacular cirri occur on each side, with small papillae
sparsely distributed on the surface.
Bod/y of forty-five to seventy segments, and about three-quarters of an inch as a
maximum length, small, elongated (almost linear), but slightly more diminished posteriorly
than anteriorly in young specimens. The dorsum is convex, the ventral surface
flattened, with a median groove in the preparations. In life the dorsum is of a pale
pinkish colour, slightly grained with brownish on some of the scales. A reddish mark
occurs in front, with a dark greyish patch a little behind. Some, as Dr. Johnston
1 Malmgren observed that in P. miimta the eyes were four, and approximated.
observes, are of a yellowish-brown colour, dusky along the sides. The centre of the
dorsum is uncovered by the scales. Posteriorly are two slender, subulate styles.
Proboscis1 forms a short muscular organ with teeth, as in the Sigalionidse (biting to
the left), and nine short but distinct papillae along each arch. Moreover in extrusion,
just behind the lateral furrow separating the dorsal and ventral arches, are two papillae.
A median and two lateral bosses (elevations) are also present in the basal segment when
viewed from the dorsum.
Scales (Plate XXXIY, fig. 17).-—The first pair in the variety inornata are somewhat
rounded, as if an isosceles triangle had its angles smoothly removed. The scar for
attachment is situated nearer the posterior than the anterior border. The latter has
numerous short clavate cilia along its edge—to the number of about fifteen, while the
posterior border has about nine longer cilia, somewhat moniliform in outline from
constrictions. The surface of the scale anteriorly has also a row of cilia internal to that
along the border, and a few are scattered in the area in frpnt of the scar. All the cilia
have traces of palpocils at the tip. Only the inner border of the scale is smooth.
In contrast with the first scale of Pholo'e minuta, Fabr., from Greenland, the foregoing
has fewer cilia. Thus there are upwards of forty along the anterior border of the
arctic form, and twelve, proportionally shorter than in P. inornata, along the posterior
edge. Moreover these organs are more numerous on the surface in front of the
scar.
The shape in the. second pair becomes transversely elongated with an anterior
incurvation. The moniliform cilia along the posterior border are more numerous, while
the smaller- along the outer edge are fewer; and the same may be said of those on the
surface.
The succeeding scales are irregularly rounded, with a somewhat even external
border, which has moniliform cilia, while those along the posterior edge are few and
widely separated. The scale is areolated, especially towards its inner border, which,
along with the anterior, is smooth.
The posterior scales are more elongated transversely and have fewer cilia (about six
of the large moniliform kind), both on the abbreviated external border and on the
posterior edge. The scar is nearer the anterior than the posterior edge.
In comparing the larger broad anterior scales with those from Greenland and
Canada (Plate XXXIY, fig. 18) comparatively little difference is observable, both having
from eighteen to twenty-three moniliform cilia externally.
On the whole, therefore, the view that P. minuta and P. inomata are the same
forms is borne out by the scales.
In the variety eximia the first pair of scales have a similar shape to those of the
type, being irregularly rounded, and, from the size of the examples, smaller than in the
latter. The outer border has a series of longer cilia, fewer in number -but similar in
structure. They encroach somewhat on the anterior border, or rather some of the
isolated cilia scattered over the surface near the edge project beyond it, but none of the
smaller clavate cilia so characteristic of the type minuta are present on this edge.
These large isolated cilia occur both external and posterior to the scar for attachment.
1 Described from an arctic example.