Polycirrus perplexus Moore, 1923

Glasby, Christopher J. & Hutchings, Pat, 2014, Revision of the taxonomy of Polycirrus Grube, 1850 (Annelida: Terebellida: Polycirridae), Zootaxa 3877 (1), pp. 1-117 : 89-91

Polycirrus perplexus Moore, 1923

Fig. 49a–e

Polycirrus perplexus Moore, 1923: 198–199 .

Type locality. Monterey Bay , California, USA .

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: USNM 17366 , USA, California, Monterey Bay off Santa Cruz Island , "Albatross" Expedition, coll. 13.v.1904.

Description. Holotype well preserved with body wall intact and chaetae mainly intact, greyish in colour, 30 mm long, 3 mm wide excluding buccal tentacles, complete with about 75 segments. Sex unknown.

Dorsum anteriorly tessellated. Venter anteriorly with mid-ventral groove and discrete ventro-lateral pads; pads incised, tessellated, extending from segment 3 to 14. Mid-ventral groove from segment 4.

Buccal tentacles of two types although few remaining: (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 distinctly curved, extending laterally along anterodorsal base of upper lip. Upper lip trefoiled with lateral blindly-ending enclosed diverticulae, margin of medial lobe convoluted; oral surface glandular, ciliated, with grooves leading to mouth. Inner lower lip oblong, strongly ridged; outer region flat, shield-like, inverted Tshaped, ridged and grooved, extending posteriorly to posterior margin of segment 3. Achaetous segments visible dorsally but obscured by expanded outer lower lip ventrally ( Fig. 49a ).

Notochaetigerous segments 42, extending to segment 44. Notopodia more-or-less rectangular (tapered distally), prechaetal lobe low, postchaetal lobe digitiform, longer than prechaetal ( Fig. 49b ). Notochaetae within a chaetiger of one type (chaetigers 3, 29 examined), two distinct lengths, hirsute, uniformly tapered, posteriorly same form as those anteriorly ( Fig. 49c ). Neurochaetae beginning on segment 10. Neuropodial tori erect pinnules, becoming more erect posteriorly, except for last few segments. Uncini with short neck and straight to convex base (Type 1), teeth above main fang arranged in double transverse series (MF:1:∞) enlarged median tooth above main fang present, subrostral process present as low, rounded protuberance ( Fig. 49d,e ).

Nephridial papillae present, globular (pre-gular) or cylindrical (post-gular). Pre-gular membrane nephridial papillae present on segments 3–4. Post-gular membrane nephridial papillae present, extending from segment 5 to 8; situated at ventral base of notopodia. Pygidium simple rosette.

Figures

FIGURE 49. Polycirrus perplexus Moore. Holotype USNM 17366. a. Anterior ventral view. b. Right side anterior lateral view of notopodium, chaetiger 3. c. Notochaetae from chaetiger 3 illustrated at x40 and x100. d. Lateral and frontal views of uncini from chaetiger 10. e. Lateral and frontal views of uncini from posterior chaetiger.