Trichobranchidae Malmgren, 1866

Schüller, Myriam & Hutchings, Pat, 2013, New species of Terebellides (Polychaeta: Trichobranchidae) from the deep Southern Ocean, with a key to all described species, Zootaxa 3619, pp. 1-45 : 8-9

Trichobranchidae Malmgren, 1866 .

Terebellides Sars , emended by Hutchings & Peart, 2000. Terebellides Sars, 1835: 48 .— Hessle 1917:136–137.— Holthe 1986a: 169–170; 1986b; 114–117.— Hutchings & Peart 2000: 238.

Ampharetides Ehlers, 1913 ; 568 (see Holthe 1986a, b, for other synonyms) Unobranchus Hartman, 1965:229 –230, Plate 50; fide Muir 2011: 140–147. Type species: Terebellides stroemii Sars , by monotypy.

Diagnosis

Trichobranchidae with compact prostomium fused to free frontal edge of the peristomium. Peristomium forming lips, upper lip typically hidden, lower lip expanded. Branchial stems fused, branchiae forming single, lamellate structure on mid-dorsum, made up of 1 to 4 lobes, sometimes an anterior prolongation of lobes (fifth lobe) present. Eyespots absent. Thorax with 18 pairs of notopodia from segment 3 and neuropodia from segment 7 (chaetiger 5) or segment 8 (chaetiger 6) to pygidium. Notochaetae all capillaries with varying degrees of ornamentation. First, and sometimes second thoracic neuropodia with smooth, geniculate hooks, subsequent thoracic ones with denticulate hooks. Abdominal uncini avicular.

Remarks: We have amended the diagnosis of the genus to include species with two rows of thoracic neuropodial hooks. At this stage we prefer to do this rather than erect a new genus until a detailed phylogenetic study of the family is undertaken.