The polychaetes of the cruise 68/1 of FRV "Walter Herwig" to Elephant Island (Antarctica) in 1985. Pt. 1: Aphroditidae to Cirratulidae. The present paper deals with 18 families of polychaetes collected during the voyage of FRV "Walther Herwig" from February 21 to 27, 1985. 69 species were found, 60 of them were already known whereas 6 species (
Myrianida proceraeae,
Clavodorum antarcticum,
Orbinia minima,
Aricidea (Acesta) strelzovi,
Aricidea (Allia) oculata Caulleriella obtusa) were new to science and described. 3 species could not be determined to species level. 48 of the 60 known species were already recorded by the "Polarstern" cruise ANT III/2 (Hartmann-Schröder & Rosenfeldt, 1988 and 1989). The biggest group (18 species) is distributed in the Antarctic/Subantarctic region as well as in the southern parts of South America. 17 species are endemic in Antarctica, 5 species in Antarctica/Subantarctica. 14 species are known also from New Zealand, Australia and (or) South Africa. 4 species are widely distributed and 2 are bipolar species.
