Levinsenia multibranchiata ( Hartman, 1957 )

Lovell, Lawrence L. & Fitzhugh, Kirk, 2020, Taking a closer look: an SEM review of Levinsenia species (Polychaeta: Paraonidae) reported from California, Zootaxa 4751 (2), pp. 257-275 : 264-265

Levinsenia multibranchiata ( Hartman, 1957)

Figures 4 A–D, 7D

Paraonis multibranchiata Hartman, 1957: 332–333 ; 1969: 79–80, Fig. 1 .

Tauberia multibranchiata . — Strelzov, 1973: 135–136, Figs 11(1), 59.

Levinsenia multibranchiata . — Blake, 1996: 36, Fig. 2.3.

Material examined. USA, California, Santa Barbara County, Santa Barbara Channel Basin, 18.0 miles bearing 135° True from Point Conception Light , 34°14’10’’N, 120°12’45’’W, 502.9 m depth, green mud, Hayward orange peel grab, R / V Velero IV, Sta. 3731-55, coll. Allan Hancock Foundation, 12 December 1955, 14 paratypes (one specimen mounted on SEM stub) ( LACM-AHF POLY 648 ) .— Orange County, Huntington Beach , OCSD NPDES Survey 9270, Sta. C2, rep. 5, 33°36.12’N, 117°56.02’W, 56 m depth, 0.1 m ² Van Veen grab, 1.0 mm sieve, 1 specimen ( LACM-AHF 12578 ); survey 9382, Sta. C 2, rep. 1 , 33°36.12’N, 117°56.02’W, 56 m depth, 0.1 m ² Van Veen grab, 1.0 mm sieve, 12 specimens ( LACM-AHF 12579 ); survey 9279, Sta. C 2, rep. 3 , 33°36.12’N, 117°56.02’W, 56 m depth, 0.1 m ² Van Veen grab, 1.0 mm sieve, 20 specimens ( LACM-AHF 12580 ); survey 9279, Sta. C 2, rep. 5 , 33°36.12’N, 117°56.02’W, 56 m depth, 0.1 m ² Van Veen grab, 1.0 mm sieve, 2 specimens ( LACM-AHF 12581 ); survey 95109, Sta. C 2, rep. 1 , 33°36.12’N, 117°56.02’W, 56 m depth, 0.1 m ² Van Veen grab, 1.0 mm sieve, 1 specimen ( LACM-AHF 12582 ) .— San Diego County, Carlsbad, Encina Treatment Plant NPDES Survey 9344, Sta. R2 , rep. 1, ~ 33°07.57’N, 117°20.69’W, 46 m depth, 0.1 m ² Van Veen grab, 1.0 mm sieve, 1 specimen ( LACM-AHF 12583 ); survey 9344, Sta. R2 , rep. 3, ~ 33°07.57’N, 117°20.69’W, 46 m depth, 0.1 m ² Van Veen grab, 1.0 mm sieve, 1 specimen ( LACM-AHF 12584 ) .

Description. Specimens up to 30 mm long, 0.15–0.25 mm wide. Thorax slightly inflated in prebranchial chaetigers, rounded in cross section thereafter. Body tan. Prostomium conical, wider than long; poorly-developed terminal sensory organ; pair of ciliated peristomial nuchal organs; median antenna absent ( Fig. 4A ). Branchiae begin on chaetigers 7–8, 20–36 pairs; thin, tapering, five times longer than wide ( Fig. 4B ); cilia present on lateral edges, with connecting transverse dorsal bands of short cilia. Notopodial post-chaetal lobes papilla-like on chaetiger 1, digitate in branchiate region, shorter post-branchial. Notopodial sensory pores ( Fig. 4C ) present on all segments. Neuropodial post-chaetal lobes absent. Noto- and neuropodial capillary chaetae from chaetiger 1. Acicular neurochaetae, 5–7 per fascicle, begin post-branchial; each spine slightly curved, tapering and thinner distally, with fringe of fibrils on convex margin; spines alternating with capillary chaetae ( Fig. 4D ). Pygidium with dorsal anal pore, mid-ventral lobe, two short anal cirri.

Methyl green stain. None present ( Fig. 7D ).

Type locality. Southern California, Santa Barbara Basin .

Distribution. Southern and Central California, 45–540 m deep.

Remarks. Levinsenia multibranchiata is readily distinguished from other SCB species by the more numerous and elongate branchiae. For information on diagnostic character differences, see the dichotomous key and Table 2.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Levinsenia gracilis (Tauber, 1879), adult, California specimen: (A) prostomium with palpode, nuchal organs, dorsal view; (B) anterior body with branchiae, lateral view; (C) transverse ciliary bands between branchiae, dorsal view; (D) notopodial glandular pores, acicular neurochaetae with fibrils, lateral view. Abbreviations: ci, cilia; no, nuchal organ; pl, post-chaetal lobe; so, palpode sensory organ; sp, sensory pores. Scale bars: A, 50 µm; B, 300 µm; C, 100 µm; D, 15 µm.

FIGURE 4. Levinsenia multibranchiata (Hartman, 1957), paratype AHF-LACM POLY 648, adult: (A) prostomium with palpode, nuchal organs, dorsal view; (B) branchial region, dorsal view; (C) notopodial glandular pores, lateral view; (D) acicular neurochaetae with fibrils, lateral view. Abbreviations: no, nuchal organ; pa, palpode; pl, post-chaetal lobe; sp, sensory pores. Scale bars: A, 100 µm; B, 300 µm; C, 20 µm; D, 30 µm.

FIGURE 7. A–G, Levinsenia spp. methyl green staining patterns: A, L. gracilis California specimen; B, L. gracilis Sweden specimen; C, L. kirbyorum; D, L. multibranchiata; E, F, L. oculata; G, L. barwicki n. sp.; H, L. kirbyorum, posterior neuropodial fascicle.