The systematics and general biology of salps from the New Zealand region

Abstract

Fourteen species of salps, namely Cyclosalpa bakeri Ritter, 1905; Brooksia rostrata (Traustedt, 1893); Ihlea magalhanica (Apstein, 1894); Salpa maxima Forskål, 1775; Salpa fusiformis Cuvier, 1804; Salpa aspera Chamisso, 1819; Salpa thompsoni Foxton, 1961; Weelia cylindrica (Cuvier, 1804); Ritteriella picteti (Apstein, 1904); Iasis zonaria (Pallas, 1774); Biprocessa democratica (Forskål, 1775); Thetys vagina Tilesius, 1802; Pegea confoederata (Forskål, 1775); Traustedtia multitentaculata (Quoy and Gaimard, 1834) are described, their status and distribution relative to other areas of the world, in particular the south-eastern Australian region are discussed. A key to the species of New Zealand salps is given. A review of the status of the genus Thalia is given, and it is concluded that a new generic name is necessary for salps with the characters of Thalia democratica (Forskål, 1775). The form of the hyperpharyngeal bar and endostyle is described, and a review of the Family Salpidae with special reference to systematics and the controversy formulated during the nineteenth century on the life cycle of salps is given. Observations were made in the laboratory on live material on respiration, locomotion, circulation, food and feeding. The factors responsible for patchy distribution and anomalies in the musculature of salps are discussed. The general biology of salps is also discussed with reference to the reactions of salps to narcotics, growth, the effect of temperature on activity and circulation, locomotion, the effect of light, life history, feeding, parasites, and ecology. In the main, the data are recorded here for the first time for salps from the New Zealand region.