Polycirrus norvegicus Wollebaek, 1912

Glasby, Christopher J. & Hutchings, Pat, 2014, Revision of the taxonomy of Polycirrus Grube, 1850 (Annelida: Terebellida: Polycirridae), Zootaxa 3877 (1), pp. 1-117 : 81-83

Polycirrus norvegicus Wollebaek, 1912

Fig. 44a–e

Polycirrus norvegica Wollebaek, 1912: 83–85 , pl. 21, figs 5–7.

Polycirrus norvegicus .— Holthe, 1986b: 157, fig. 72a–c.

Type locality. Drøbak , Norway .

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: ZMO C3205 , Norway, Drøbak, 59˚39′36.30′′ N, 10˚37′19.67′′ E, coll. M. Sars.

Other material examined. Non-type: 1, ZMO C3206, Norway, Drǿbak, coll. M. Sars.

Description. Holotype well preserved, body wall damaged with large parts of anterior body removed, chaetae mainly intact, pale yellow in colour, 15 mm long, 2 mm wide excluding buccal tentacles, incomplete with about 50 segments. Sex unknown. Non-type material complete, 15 mm long, 2 mm wide, well preserved but large parts of anterior body wall have been removed.

Dorsum anteriorly tessellated. Venter anteriorly with mid-ventral groove and discrete ventro-lateral pads; pads incised with transverse grooves, extending from segment 3 to 10–11 (anterior venter damaged on holotype). Midventral groove from segment 4.

Buccal tentacles two types (according to Holthe, 1986b; tentacles now missing on type): (1) cylindrical, thickened distally and distinctly grooved and (2) cylindrical, uniformly thin and weakly grooved, both arising at junction between prostomium and upper lip. Prostomial ridge slightly curved, extending laterally along anterodorsal base of upper lip. Upper lip comprising single (medial) lobe only, margin of lobe convoluted; oral surface glandular, ciliated, with grooves leading to mouth. Inner lower lip oblong, smooth; outer region flat, shieldlike, oblong, longer than wide, tapering slightly toward mouth, ridged and grooved, extending posteriorly to posterior margin of segment 3. Achaetous segments visible dorsally but obscured by expanded outer lower lip ventrally ( Fig. 44a ).

Notochaetigerous segments 16, extending to segment 18 (approximately, body wall damaged). Notopodia more-or-less rectangular, short, prechaetal lobe low, postchaetal lobe digitiform, longer than prechaetal ( Fig. 44b ). Notochaetae within a chaetiger consisting of one type (chaetigers 4, 14 examined), two distinct lengths, hirsute, uniformly tapered, posteriorly same form as those anteriorly ( Fig. 44c ). Neurochaetae beginning on segment 10–12 (up to 15 according to Holthe (1986b); not discernable on type). Neuropodial tori ridge-like, differ along body becoming more rectangular and erect posteriorly. Uncini with short neck and straight to convex base (Type 1), teeth above main fang arranged in single transverse series ( MF:1–4) enlarged median tooth above main fang present or absent, subrostral process present as low, rounded protuberance ( Fig. 44d,e ) .

Nephridial papillae present according to Holthe (1986b), though not visible on type. Pre-gular membrane nephridial papillae present on segments 3–4. Post-gular membrane nephridial papillae present, extending from segment 5 to 8.

Comments. Holthe’s (1986b) redescription of the species is based upon the type material, including presumably a greater range of material than available for this study. He indicates that the buccal tentacles are numerous and of several thicknesses. He also states that the species is characterised by 14–20 pairs of notopodia and that neuropodia begin from chaetigerous segment 8–13. Nephridial papillae are reported on segments 3–8.

Figures

FIGURE 44. Polycirrus norvegicus Wollebaek. Holotype ZMO C3205. a. Anterior ventral view. b. Right side anterior lateral view of notopodium, chaetiger 4. c. Notochaetae from chaetiger 4 illustrated at x40 and x100. d. Lateral and frontal views of uncini from chaetiger 14. e. Lateral and frontal views of uncini from posterior chaetiger.