Polychaeta and Oligochaeta of the Auckland and Campbell Islands, New Zealand, 1941-1945

Citation

Description

This report is based on the collections of specimens and data in the Auckland and Campbell Islands in the years 1941-45. Early in 1941, coast-watching stations were established at Port Ross, Carnley Harbour, and Perseverance Harbour, and the personnel of from three to five men at each were relieved once a year. Standing instructions issued by the Navy Office included a recommendation that the men should, in addition to service routine, record general observations on natural phenomena. This report is regarded as of the Cape Expedition which was the war-time code name for parties in the field between 1941 and 1945.

The marine worms in this dataset come from 17 species. Marine worms had been described from the results of gatherings in two previous expeditions to these Subantarctic Islands. The first of these contains a report of 18 species by Mortensen based on a 1907 expedition; the second reported on 55 species by Augener in 1925. In this dataset, there is one species not hitherto recorded.

The land worms collected represent only nine species belonging to seven genera. One of which is living in freshwater. The comparative smallness of the collection reflects that fact that expedition members had other matters to attend to. The majority of the specimens were preserved in alcohol, but several containers had apparently been neglected and the original preservative had not been changed, so that the creatures were in a state unfit for identification.

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Bibliographic Citations

1. Benham, W.B. (1950) Polychaeta and Oligochaeta of the Auckland and Campbell Islands, Cape Expedition Series, Bulletin No. 10, 35pp. -