Abstract
Four species of chaetognaths were found in samples from 11 representative areas along the coastline of western Canada. Sagitta elegans was the most abundant and widely distributed species, occurring, at least in small numbers, in all the areas sampled. It was characteristic of the mixed coastal waters over the continental shelf and of the inland waters. Eukrohnia hamata, an oceanic form, occurred in most regions in small numbers as an immigrant, and was abundant toward the edge of the continental shelf. Sagitta lyra, strictly a deep sea species, was found only in the open waters along the outer coasts, and a few specimens of Sagitta decipiens, another oceanic form, were also taken in deep hauls from areas exposed to open ocean influence. The outer limit of Sagitta elegans corresponded with the inner limits of all three oceanic forms, though Eukrohnia hamata invaded the inland waters to some extent.