In November 1969 on ‘Discovery’ Cruise 30 a day and a night series of hauls were taken with the RMT 1 + 8 net system (Baker, Clarke & Harris, 1973) in the region of the Cape Verde Islands. The cyclopoid copepods from the two series have been examined and this account describes their depth distributions, vertical migration patterns and community organization. Some taxonomic observations on one family, the Oncaeidae, have already been published (Boxshall, 1977).

Considerable obscurity surrounds the mechanism of calcification in all biological material. The coralline algae, which lay down quantities of calcium salts in their tissues, are no exception. These forms are common in the littoral and sublittoral in exposed situations in northern waters and make up a large part of many of the reefs in tropical seas. This paper describes observations and experiments relating to growth and calcification in two northern corallines, Clathromorphum circumscriptum Foslie and Corallina officinalis Linn. Calcification is related to the production of an alkaline reaction by the cells when exposed to sunlight. The source of the base concerned will be considered in a following paper.

Preliminary feeding experiments (Morris, Ferguson & Raymont, 1973) showed that Neomysis integer was capable of incorporating dietary labelled [1-14C]fatty acids (16:04 18:1,18:2,18:3) into its lipid. Radioactivity was observed in all the major fatty acids of Neomysis, including the polyunsaturated fatty acids. Neomysis could also convert dietary 14C-labelled starch into lipid, producing a range of fatty acids, including long-chain polyunsaturated acids, incorporated in both triglycerides and phospholipids. During these metabolic conversions, the mysid was observed to incorporate more radioactive14C into the phospholipid fraction with increase in the experimental feeding period.

Although the initial description of the northern rockling, Ciliata septentrionalis (Collett, 1875 a, b) was based on specimens collected off the Norwegian coast in the late nineteenth century, this species was not recorded from British waters until 1960, when a specimen was found in the Clyde Sea area (Bagenal, 1961). Subsequently, northern rockling have been recorded by Wheeler (1965, 1968) from the Moray Firth and in the waters off the Isle of Man and Southern Ireland, and by Dando (1975) from the Plymouth area. A single specimen has also been captured in a rock pool on the Yorkshire coast (Wheeler, 1971). The only investigation into the biology of C. septentrionalis has been conducted by Dando (1975), who obtained the fish from the Plymouth area, both by trawling and from cod stomachs. He outlined the early development of the egg and larva, and suggested that the northern rockling had greatly increased in abundance in the Plymouth region since 1968.

Information on the littoral fauna of Rockall (lat. 57° 36′ 20” N, long. 13° 41′ 32” W) is limited to the report by Crisp (1956) on a collection made during the occasion of the annexation of Rockall to the British Crown in 1955. An historical survey (Fisher, 1956) reveals that only once previously has a marine biological (phycological) collection been taken from the rock, during a landing from the French’ Pourquoi-Pas ?’ in 1921 (Charcot, 1921; Hamel, 1922).

The freshwater medusa, Craspedacusta, has been taken again in its classic semi-natural locality, the Exeter Canal. While tow-netting for freshwater plankton on 15 September 1976, in connexion with a study of the food of endemic fish populations, one male specimen of the olindiadid limnomedusan Craspedacusta sowerbyi Lankester (1880) was found. The locality was 300 m on the Exeter side of the Turf Lock (map reference SX 963863) and the net, mesh size 50 mpi, was being towed from a small rowing boat at a depth of approximately 1 m at noon in weather of occasional sunshine, the water temperature being 20 °C.

Study of the pH relations of the coralline algae has shown that there is good reason to believe that calcification may be brought about by the development of alkalinity by the cells of the thallus, while a slightly acid reaction may be detected on occasion on the outer surface (Digby, 1977). The mechanism of calcification is obscure, but in general two types of action might be involved, direct chemical action and active transport. In direct chemical action a chain of reactions may occur in which the laws of chemical equivalence must be obeyed. Active transport involves complex metabolic processes which may be much more efficient in moving ions from one place to another, the utilization of one chemical equivalent of oxygen providing the energy to transport more than one equivalent of a particular substance.

The importance of egg and larval mortality in the determination of year-class strength was discussed at a colloquium at La Jolla, California in 1975 (see Hunter, 1976). In addition to the obvious effects of starvation, predation and disease, pollution by such substances as copper is an important factor affecting viability. The copper concentration in sea water is generally about 1–2,µ/l. Chester & Stoner (1974), in a comprehensive survey, found an average copper concentration of 0.8µ/l in the open ocean and 0.9 µg/l nearer the shore. In British waters Preston et al. (1974) reported a range of 1.1–1.6 µg/l and Portmann (1972a) found a range of 1–20 µg/l with the possibility of 1000 µg/l near sea-bed copper deposits.

Members of the small suborder Runcinacea have recently been reviewed and efforts have been made to group new findings (Burn, 1963; Baba, 1967; Miller & Rudman, 1968). The following structures served for the classification: gills alone (Baba, 1967), gills, radula, gizzard-plates and shell (Burn, 1963). According to this classification a more detailed subdivision became necessary. Two proposals brought forward by Burn (1963) and Baba (1967) are in discussion (see below). Two new genera Runnica and Pseudoilbia (Miller & Rudman, 1968) have not as yet been definitely placed in a family. As a consequence of this grouping some of the former members of the genus Runcina have been moved to another genus, e.g. Runcina elioti (Baba, 1937) to Runcinida (Burn, 1963) by reason of four or five gills surrounding the anus in a semi-circle, and Runcina setoensis (Baba, 1954; Ghiselin, 1963) to Metaruncina setoensis (Baba, 1967) because of its single gill and a greatly reduced radula (compare Table 1).

It has been possible for some years to rear artificially-fertilized herring eggs through to metamorphosis making experimental studies on the larval phase of the life history practicable (Blaxter, 1968). However, a comprehensive larval staging system has not previously been published.

The taxonomic position of the golden-brown flagellate Diacronema vlkianum Prauser has hitherto been uncertain. It was first reported by Vlk (1938) from fresh water and a brief description given, particular interest being ascribed to the flagella which staining and light microscopy indicated to be without appendages. Because of this Vlk concluded that the organism, which he did not name, occupied a taxonomic niche somewhat apart from typical chrysophytes. In 1958, Prauser isolated, also from fresh water, a flagellate which he identified as Vlk's organism and he described it using both electron microscopy of shadow-cast cells and optical microscopy of living material. He confirmed the lack of flagellar hairs and discussed the taxonomy of Diacronema in relation to both the Ochromonadales with heterokont flagella and the genus Chrysochromulina Lackey with equal smooth flagella. He suggested that the genus could be thought of as representing a new family, the Diacronemataceae, arising from an ochromonad stock and possibly representing a unique line within the chrysomonads.

Radioactive wastes and sewage discharged into coastal waters may be largely dispersed by tidal streams. Before authorization for sea discharges can be granted by responsible authorities representing public interests, as much information as possible must be obtained on water movement in the chosen area. Comprehensive data on tidal conditions around the British Isles can be found from the Admiralty Tidal Stream Atlases (Hydrographic Department). The method by which these currents are measured is explained in the Admiralty Manual of Hydrographic Surveying (Hydrographic Department, 1948). Further, special surveys using sea surface drifters and current meters are usually necessary to provide additional information in the neighbourhood of a proposed release. The purpose of this note is to point out that further relevant information can be obtained using numerical models and that these results should also be taken into account when decisions have to be made.

Two species of Gracilaria, G. foliifera (Forsk.) Børg. and G. verrucosa (Huds.) Papenf., have been recorded from the Maritime provinces of Canada (South & Cardinal, 1970), although in recent years only G. foliifera var. foliifera is listed (South, 1976). These species are also known from the British Isles (Parke & Dixon, 1976). Chromosome counts of G. foliifera (Greig-Smith, 1954: as G. multipartita) and of G. verrucosa (Magne, 1964) from the European flora suggest these are distinct species.

The prosobranch snail, Hydrobia ulvae, lays eggs on the shells of neighbouring individuals where they are held together and protected by a covering of sand grains. The eggs develop within this egg mass, hatching as veliger larvae for which there are several descriptions (Henking, 1894; Thorson, 1946; Pilkington, 1971; Fish & Fish, 1974). It is clear that there is considerable variation in the size, pigmentation and swimming behaviour of veligers from different localities. The material used in the present study was from a population of snails in the Dovey estuary, Wales, which have free-swimming veliger larvae similar to those described by Thorson (1946). These have a single whorl to the shell; a shell length at hatching of 140–170 µm; a semi-lunate band of purplish black pigment on each velar lobe; a narrow band of pigment between the eyes and black pigment associated with the hindermost part of the intestine. In contrast, those from Ply-mouth hatch with one and a half shell whorls and a colourless velum (Lebour, 1937; Pilkington, 1971); a shell length of 340–390 µm and show complete suppression of the pelagic phase, the velar cilia being short and incapable of lifting the larva off the bottom (Pilkington, 1971). It has been suggested by Pilkington (1971) that the differences in size and swimming behaviour might be the result of the Plymouth larvae hatching at a later stage. The present account is the result of investigations into the effects of temperature and salinity on the survival of embryos to hatching and the duration of embryonic development.

During studies in 1972 on the setation and development of the secondary sexual characters of the Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus (L., 1758), Foraminifera were observed attached to the pleopods of a mature male (carapace length 2.47 cm). On subsequent examination of the prepared material with a scanning electron microscope it was found that the Foraminifera were attached to one of the first pair of pleopods. Three individuals were observed, all of which were attached to the same pleopod on the inner surface near the tip. No further specimens of Foraminifera were encountered during detailed anatomical studies of more than 30 specimens of N. norvegicus.

Brood protection is characteristic of the Spirorbinae although the mode of protection differs widely between species (Bailey, 1969; Knight-Jones, Knight-Jones & Vine, 1972). The way in which these protected eggs are successfully fertilized has been a subject of speculation (Gee & Williams, 1965; Franzen, 1956; Potswald, 1968). Individuals of the Spirorbinae are simultaneous hermaphrodites and the possible role of self-fertilization in their reproduction has been considered (Gee & Williams, 1965; Potswald, 1968). In the past, these problems have been discussed with the tacit assumption that no spermatheca is present in the Spirorbinae.