Numerous reports of familial cardiac disorders associated with abnormalities of cutaneous pigmentation have appeared in the literature. In some of these there have been other somatic malformations including retardation of growth and anomalous development of the genitalia. In this paper we review the literature and describe another family with multiple lentigines occurring in six members out of eight examined. They were reported to occur in 10 other members not seen by us. The trait showed an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance and appeared to be transmitted by affected fathers. In previous reports transmission has usually been through an affected mother. In five of the six patients examined, only skin abnormalities were detected, but in the propositus the lentigines were associated with retardation of growth, hypertelorism, abnormal genitalia and complete atrioventricular block. The possible explanations for the lack of pleomorphy in other members of the family are discussed.

Les auteurs signalent la présence fréquente dans l'intestin d'un poisson Cyprinodontiforme, Fitzroyia lineata, vivant dans les eaux saumâtres du Rio de la Plata, d'un Acanthocé phale Neoechinorhynchidae appartenant à la sous-famille des Gracilisentinae, famille dont le seul genre connu est Gracilisentis. Les exemplaires récoltés possèdent des caractères nettement différents de ceux de Gracilisentis, en particulier dans la disposition et la taille des crochets du proboscis, justifiant ainsi la création d'un genre nouveau, Wolffhugelia, dédié au Pr Kurt Wolffhügel. Les auteurs décrivent cette forme nouvelle et en donnent la diagnose. Ils la désignent sous le nom de Wolffhugelia matercula.