NOTES ON VELIGERS OF JAPANESE OPISTHOBRANCHS (1)

Abstract

Since the publication of previous papers (BABA and HAMATANI, 1952; BABA, HAMATANI and HISAI, 1956), I have continued to work on the biology of Japanese opisthobranchs especially on the morphology of their veligers, in a hope to make it possible to identify these veligers occurring in plankton samples. This is the first report of the series and includes the descriptions about the following four species: Stiliger (Stiliger) boodleae BABA, Elysia (Elysia) hamatanii BABA, Gymnodoris bicolor (ALDER and HANCOCK), and Catriona bicolor (BERGH). Figures in the paper were all made on living specimens by using ABBE's drawing apparatus. Before going further, my hearty thanks are due to Prof. Kikutaro BABA of Osaka Gakugei University for his suggestions given during the present study and also to Dr. Takasi TOKIOKA and Dr. Huzio DTINOMI of Seto Marine Biological Laboratory for their generous helps and useful advices given during my stay at the Laboratory.