Polychaetes of Greece: an updated and annotated checklist
Author
Faulwetter, Sarah
Author
Simboura, Nomiki
Author
Katsiaras, Nikolaos
Author
Chatzigeorgiou, Giorgos
Author
Arvanitidis, Christos
text
Biodiversity Data Journal
2017
5
20997
20997
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.5.e20997
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.5.e20997
1314-2828--20997
Sphaerosyllis claparedei Ehlers, 1864
Notes
Questionable status.
Sphaerosyllis claparedei
is a poorly known species. Ehler's original description is detailed overall, but not clear on all characters that are used nowadays to distinguish species (e.g. papillation pattern, shape of chaetae, parapodial glands etc.). The species is not included in the treatise of the family by
San
Martin
(2003)
. A character which allegedly distinguishes
Sphaerosyllis claparedei
from other species of the genus is the presence of a dorsal cirrus on the second chaetiger. However, other species were also originally described with this feature (e.g.
Sphaerosyllis hystrix
Claparede
, 1863) although it is in fact absent (see also remarks under
Sphaerosyllis ovigera
Langerhans, 1879).
Ehlers (1864)
also describes the dorsal cirri as having a "knob-like shape" at their tip, at least in the anterior chaetigers. This could be an indication for retractile cirri, as seen in
Prosphaerosyllis
. As no recent re-descriptions exist which take into account characters used nowadays to distinguish species, the status of the species remains unclear and specimens should be revised. Type locality: Mediterranean (Porto di Lazaretto, Adriatic).