The presence of Euphausia superba, E. crystallorophias and Thysanoessa macrura was observed in Admiralty Bay (King George Island, South Shetland Islands) and the size of individuals of particular species are diverse and varying during the summer season. E. superba population is older and specimens larger than in analogous season in 1979. The maximum number of females with eggs was noted in the first half of January 1980, i.e. earlier than in 1979. In E, crystallorophias population the presence of females with eggs was observed in the second half of December 1979.
The arylsulphatase activity (E. C. 3. 1.6. 1.) was compared in different species ol Antarctic mammals, birds of the genus Pygoscelis, fish of the genus Notothenia and two crustaceans oi the genus Euphausia. The role of arylsulphatase in the hydrolysis of sulphate phenol esters was pointed out. Considerable differences were observed in the arylsulphatase activity both within genera and species. But no differences in the activity of the enzyme examined were observed in relation to the sex or maturity stage of gonads of chosen Antarctic animals. The activity of arylsulphatase from liver and hepato- pancreas homogenates оf Antarctic animals was lower than the activity of this enzyme in similar animals of the temperate zone.
In adults of both sexes of Euphausia superba analysed in total without alimentary tract there were identified with help of chromatographic and spectrophotometric methods: β-carotene, free and ester astaxanthine, cantaxanthine, β-cryptoxanthine. lutein and dihydroxy-ζ-carotene, and additionally in females zeaxanthine and flavoxanthine. However, particular parts of body (with an exception of eyes, legs and trunk) and especially the exosceleton cotain less carotenoids, mainly carotene and astaxanthine.
In the investigated area, mass occurence of krill was observed in the vicinity of islands and the Antarctic Peninsula, in the waters above the shelf and shelfs slope. Small quantities of krill were found in the open oceanic waters. Immature individuals dominated close to the Antarctic Peninsula. Large, sexually mature kril dominated farther from the continent. Gravid females contributed little to the total populations. Krill of the largest size occured near the Palmer's Archipelago, and of the smallest size at the Antarctic Peninsula and the Elephant Island. It is likely that krill observed west and north of the Palmer Archipelago had been brought by currents from the Bellingshausen Sea. Krill in the Bransfield Strait originated probably from the mixing of populations carried by currents from the Weddell Sea and the Bellingshausen Sea.