Neolagisca drachi (Reyss, 1961) Barnich & Fiege, 2000

Barnich, R. & Fiege, D., 2000, Revision of the Mediterranean species of Harmothoe Kinberg, 1856 Lagisca Malmgren, 1865 (Polychaeta: Polynoidae: Polynoinae) descriptions of a new genus and a new species, Journal of Natural History 34, pp. 1889-1938 : 1932

Neolagisca drachi (Reyss, 1961) nov. comb.

(fi gure 20A -L)

Lagisca drachi Reyss, 1961: 473 , fi gures 1,2.

Type material. Lagisca drachi , SYNTYPES: 3 spms., Calypso (soucoupe) January/ February 1961, Banyuls, Rech`Lacaze-Duthiers’, sur bloc de Madrepora oculata , 268 m, leg. Falco and Laubier, LAB LA-X-B.05.

Diagnosis. Anterior pair of eyes dorsolaterally on widest part of prostomium. Elytra: margin with long fringing papillae; surface covered by pointed thorn-shaped microtubercles and many long papillae. Dorsal and ventral tentacular cirri and dorsal cirri papillate, tapering.

Description. Prostomium bilobed, with distinct cephalic peaks; median antenna with large ceratophore in anterior notch, style papillate, tapering; lateral antennae with small ceratophores inserted ventrally and with short, papillate, tapering styles; palps with few papillae, about as long as median antenna and tentacular cirri; anterior pair of eyes dorsolaterally on widest part of prostomium, posterior pair dorsally near hind margin. Tentaculophores inserted laterally to prostomium, each with two chaetae and a pair of papillate, tapering dorsal and ventral tentacular cirri. Second segment with fi rst pair of elytra, biramous parapodia, and long ventral buccal cirri, similar to tentacular cirri (fi gure 20A).

Fifteen pairs of elytra; elytral margin with long fringing papillae; surface covered

pointed thorn-shaped microtubercles and many long papillae; mottled dark pigmentation (fi gure 20B, C). Styles of dorsal cirri papillate, tapering, extending beyond neurochaetae (fi gure 20D); styles of ventral cirri papillate, tapering, almost reaching tip of neuropodia (fi gure 20E).

Parapodia biramous, both rami with single aciculum penetrating epidermis; notopodia with short, rounded presetal and longer, pointed postsetal acicular lobe, neuropodia with subconical presetal acicular lobe with digitiform supra-acicular process and shorter rounded postsetal lobe (fi gure 20E). Notochaetae as stout as neurochaetae and of two kinds: stout with blunt tips (fi gure 20F, G) and slender with sharp, pointed tips (fi gs 20H, I), both kinds with distinct rows of spines; neurochaetae with distinct rows of spines only in distal part, tips mostly bidentate with small secondary tooth subdistally (fi gure 20J, K), often reduced or abraded, some lower unidentate (fi gure 20L).

Remarks. Due to their similar elytral ornamentation (i.e. margin with fringing papillae and surface with papillae and pointed thorn-shaped microtubercles; see gures 20B, C, 16B, C), Neolagisca drachi (Reyss, 1961) and Harmothoe bellani sp. nov. might be confused. However, N. drachi is clearly distinct due to the presence

two kinds of notochaetae.

Measurements. Largest specimen found and fi gured herein: L 32 mm, W 6 mm for 44 chaetigers.

Distribution. Mediterranean Sea: Western Mediterranean, in the Rech`Lacaze- Duthiers’, Banyuls. Up to now, the described syntypes of N. drachi represent the only record of this species.

Habitat. On the coral Madrepora oculata (L.), in 268 m depth.