Terebellidae (Polychaeta: Terebellida) from the Grand Caribbean region 2320
Author
Londoño-Mesa, Mario H.
text
Zootaxa
2009
2009-12-22
2320
1
1
93
https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.2320.1.1
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.2320.1.1
11755334
5316176
Polycirrus purpureus
Schmarda, 1861
Figures 6
A-H.
Polycirrus purpureus
,
Schmarda, 1861:39
; Pl. XXIV, Fig. 194.—
Augener, 1925:37–38
.
Polycirrus luminosus
,
Verrill, 1900:666
fide
Hartman, 1959:518
.—
Holthe, 1986b:171
.
Type material:
YPM 1311
(4)
Bermuda
, 1901 (
Polycirrus luminosus
as hypotypes, considered
syntypes
)
.
Description:
All specimens incomplete (
Fig. 6A
). Best
syntype
11 segments;
8.2mm
long and,
1.1mm
wide. Dorsum smooth, swollen between segments 2 and 4 (
Fig. 6B
). Tentacles missing. Tentacular membrane in poor condition. Lower lip swollen, damaged. Seven pairs of nephridial papillae from segment 4, swollen, placed ventrally to notopodia. Seven pairs of ventral shields from segment 2 (
Figs 6C,D
). Ten pairs of notopodia, from segment 2, long, each with one small terminal cirrus. Notochaetae hirsute, thin, long with small striations (
Figs 6E,F
). Neuropodia rounded, from segment 10. Uncini MF:3:2–3:0–2 (
Figs 6G,H
); USr wide; SrP slightly visible, SrA absent, AP rounded; AF absent; Bs convex; PP rounded; PF absent; Cp slightly curved, with three rows of teeth over MF. Abdomen and pygidium absent.
Staining pattern:
Ventral shields and base of notopodia stain deeply. Dorsum stains slightly on mid-thorax. Nephridial papillae and tentacular membrane remain pale.
Variations:
Other
syntype
are also incomplete and in fragments: one with 25 pairs of notopodia; other with 24 pairs of notopodia. This total in number of segments means that the species has, at least, 24 pairs of notopodia. There are also some posterior fragments in poor condition, having smooth pygidium.
Discussion:
The type specimens of
P. purpureus
Schmarda, 1861
was not borrowed for this research; thus, the description presented above is based on the
syntypes
of its junior synonym
P. luminosus
Verrill, 1900
, according to
Augener (1925)
. Schmarda’s description was vague, but
Augener (1925)
presented a more complete redescription, indicating that
P. purpureus
has tentacles of two lengths, with swollen tips, a mid-ventral groove (median furrow) dividing 10 unequal ventral shields, 80 pairs of notopodia, 55 pairs of neuropodia although the segment on which they began was not well determined, and uncini MF:2:2. Finally, he mentioned that
Polycirrus
has many pairs of notopodia (in contrast to the other genera in the subfamily). Thus, with
P. luminosus
having an unusual high number of pairs of notopodia, it is likely to be the same species as
P. purpureus
. Further,
P. purpureus
differs from
P. pennulifera
Verrill, 1900
, in the number of pairs of notopodia and the segment on which the uncini first appear;
Polycirrus pennulifera
has 20 pairs of notopodia, and neuropodia begin on segment 21, and continue along 40 segments to close to pygidium.
FIGURE 6.
Polycirrus purpureus
. Type specimens of
P. luminosus
(Hypotype YPM 1311)
: A. General view. B. Thoracic region in lateral view. C-D. Thoracic region in ventral view. E. Fascicle of notochaetae from anterior thoracic region. F. Notochaeta from anterior thoracic region. G-H. Uncini from anterior thoracic region. Scale bars: A: 1.85mm; B,C,D: 1mm; E: 0.5mm; F: 0.05mm; G: 0.02mm.
Type
locality:
Southern
Jamaica
Distribution:
Jamaica
and
Bermuda
.