26 Museum Notes

BEA EAL.

Fig. 1. Sagitta elegans Verrill “Arrow worm.” X 3.
“2. Pleurobrachia pileus Fab. Comb-jelly. X 2.
“3. Oikopleura dioica Fol. X 20.
“ 4. “Bipinnaria” larva of Asterias rubens. Star-fish. X 50.
5. Salpa mucronata Forsk. Natural size.
6. “Cyphonautes” larva of Membrantpora villosa. X 40.
“ 7. “Ophiopluteus” larva of a brittle star. (Ophiothrix fragilis). X 170.
8. Tintinopsis nucula Fol. X 750.
9. Tintinnus subulatus Ehrenb. X 200.
“10. Favella (Cyttarocylis) serrata (Moebius). X 300.

On this plate are a selection from a few of numerous groups of platonic life.

The Sagitta (Fig. 1) is a pure white eel-like worm about one inch in length—it is
found all the year round from the surface to considerable depths; it makes vertical
migrations according to the time of day or season—during winter it keeps to the depths.
Only one species was found; it is generally distributed along the B. C. coast. Other
species! will no doubt be found here.

The Ctenophores or Comb-jellies (Fig. 2) are numerous everywhere here, some-

times in such numbers as to make the water thick; a dark claret-coloured species, Beroe
abyssicola Mortensen, is found at 100 to 200 fathoms depth off Nanaimo.

The Appendicularia are pelagic tunicates of the order Larvacea; one species is
shown in Fig. 3. Several other species occur here; they are fed on by fishes and occur
plentifully at times.

The star-fish larva (Fig. 4) is representative of a large number of similar orga-
nisms belonging to different families found, often numerously, in the “plankton.”

The Salps are curious jelly-like creatures with circular bands of muscle fibre; in
addition to the one shown (Fig. 5) S. maxima is common on the west coast; there are
probably other species also here.

Membrantpora villosa, the larva of which is shown in Fig. 6, is a common species
of Bryozoa, forming small circular white patches on kelp and other seaweeds; the larvae
of the numerous sptcies of this family are difficult to differentiate.

Brittle star larvae are very unlike the parents; they are pelagic, and several species
inhabit B. C. waters; Sea Urchin larvae are somewhat similar.

The Tintinnideae (Figs. 8, 9, 10) are pelagic ciliates provided with tests or shells
of various forms; over forty species are found in the B. C. “plankton;” they are often
numerous and provide food for “plankton” feeding fishes.