Introduction and Acknowledgments

Plankton collections made along the New Zealand coast during 1951 by the Survey ship H.M.N.Z.S. Lachlan, under the command of Commander J. M. Sharpey Schafer, R.N., have resulted in large collections of valuable zoological material. At the invitation of Lieut.-Commander B. M. Bary, R.N.Z.N., I undertook identification of amphipod material from these collections. This paper details the Hyperiid amphipods from waters around the New Zealand coast, especially the south-east of the South Island, and south to the Subantarctic Islands. For the purposes of this paper I have followed Barnard (1930) and included specimens taken in subantarctic waters south to latitude 60° in the New Zealand fauna. This includes the Campbell Island region.

Since it soon became obvious that the collections were far more extensive than any previous Hyperiid collections in New Zealand waters with the possible exception of “Terra Nova “material, I took the opportunity to include all other Hyperiid material to which I had access. Because of the importance of the Hyperiidea oceanographically, I have given a check list and keys to all species recorded from New Zealand waters. Also, since the material embraces all previous species recorded from New Zealand, again with the sole exception of “Terra Nova “collections, which were excellently dealt with by Barnard (1930), I have found it a very convenient basis for a complete revisory account of the New Zealand Hyperiidea.

A number of important ecological and distributional conclusions which have resulted from the systematic studies will be discussed in a later paper by Lieut.-Commander Bary.

I wish to thank Professor E. Percival and the Canterbury University College Council and Library for making available the late Professor Chilton's literature and material, and Mr. Stuart Thomson, of Portobello, for access to the late Mr. G. M. Thomson's notes. I am especially grateful to Professor L. R. Richardson, of Victoria University College, for his advice and encouragement throughout this work, and to Lieut.-Commander Bary, not only for making the material available, but also for the many fruitful discussions on the numerous problems which it involved.

Unless otherwise indicated, the station numbers mentioned in the paper all refer to “Lachlan” material. The “Lachlan” stations were located as shown in Chart 1, which is reproduced by courtesy of Lieut.-Commander Bary. Slides mounted from “Lachlan” material are indicated by the letter “L” followed by a serial number, and will be deposited in the Dominion Museum, Wellington.