Arabella (Cenothrix) robusta, Zanol, Joana & Ruta, Christine, 2015

Zanol, Joana & Ruta, Christine, 2015, New and previously known species of Oenonidae (Polychaeta: Annelida) from Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, Zootaxa 4019 (1), pp. 745-772 : 755-758

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4019.1.26

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1BEE9643-8C47-4F79-858A-9156A21AD6DA

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6104527

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/672687C6-FFE6-FF9C-839D-9944FD55FE9F

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Arabella (Cenothrix) robusta
status

sp. nov.

Arabella (Cenothrix) robusta View in CoL n. sp.

( Figs 4 View FIGURE 4. A – E F–K, 5, 6)

Material examined. Holotype: AM W.44355, MI QLD2371 (1), fixed in formalin, few posterior chaetigers fixed in ethanol. Paratype: AM W.43916, MI QLD2331 (1), fixed in ethanol.

Measurements. Table 2.

Description. Live specimens whitish with orange (dark) spots regularly distributed on dorsal side; on prostomium, between median and lateral eyes; on peristomium, a pair on anterior and posterior margins and a median on the posterior margin of both rings; on chaetigers, a pair on anterior and posterior margins and a median on posterior margin ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 B, C). Specimen fixed in ethanol beige with same pigmentation pattern of live specimens ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 D). Specimen fixed in formalin beige with dark brown spots scattered around ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 E).

Body long, slender, widest at anterior region (chaetiger 13–19), evenly tapering towards posterior end of the body ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 A); dorsoventrally rounded, more convex dorsally than ventrally at anterior end ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 H). Prostomium as wide as, as deep as and longer than peristomium; tapering with rounded lateral margins (triangular); dorsally flat; ventrally round ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 D–J). Four round eyes in line, median closer to lateral than to each other; median smaller than lateral ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 D, E). Peristomium double ringed, division between segments inconspicuous dorsally, first ring a little longer than second ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 D, E).

Mandibles as far forward as maxillae in pharyngeal bulb while retracted; cutting plates about as long as mandibular carriers, diverging at anterior margin, inner edge shorter than lateral ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4. A – E F). Maxillae dorsal carriers widest at anterior end, connected at posterior end, ventral carrier not observed ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4. A – E G). Maxillae with five pairs of plates, asymmetric ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4. A – E G–I). Left side MxI robust distally falcate and Mx II short, right side MxI gracile distally falcate and MxII long ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4. A – E H). Maxillary formula: (1,10 (7)) + (1,7), 6 + 12 (10), 5 + 5 (4), 5 + 5, 2 + 2.

Pre-chaetal lobe rounded, as long as chaetal lobe. Post-chaetal tapering to round tips, more than twice as long as chaetal lobe anteriorly, digitiform and twice as long as chaetal lobe posteriorly. Notopodial cirri present as small papillae, with at least 1 notoacicula.

Neuroaciculae mucronate, 1–2 per neuropodia. Chaetae length and limbate chaetae geniculation decrease from dorsal to ventral in all parapodia. All chaetae robust in median and posterior chaetigers, thick in relation to parapodia ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4. A – E J–K, 6B). Limbate chaetae decrease in number from anterior to posterior end (3–2); most finely serrated, second dorsal coarsely serrated (7–5 denticles rows, decreasing towards posterior end; Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4. A – E J). In anteriormost chaetigers, ventralmost chaetae limbate. Ventralmost chaeta tapering to distal guards abruptly present in all chaetigers except anteriormost ones, distally tapering to blunt end, guards mucronate, 1 per parapodium ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4. A – E K, 6A, B).

Pygidium two swollen pads lacking cirri ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 K).

Variation. Live specimens differ in the colour of pigmentation, which may be orange or black. The pigmentation is retained in specimens fixed in ethanol. In specimens fixed in formalin, the wide orange spots of pigmentation were replaced by scattered small brown spots. Shape and depth of prostomium varied from round to tapering; proximal end about as deep as or deeper than distal end. Pharynx is slightly everted in the holotype, making the peristomium seem a little longer ventrally than dorsally.

Remarks. The flat body of the paratype may be an artefact of the fixation in ethanol. MxI and II showed no variation among examined specimens.

The robust chaetae and MxV with two teeth are unique features in this species. Arabella (Cenothrix) atlantica Crossland, 1924 and Arabella (Cenothrix) monroi Colbath, 1989b are the most similar to A. (C.) robusta n. sp. They share features of the prostomium and peristomium; chaetae, except for the number, which is smaller in A. (C.) robusta n. sp.; and similar maxillary plates and formula, except for MxV, which has just one tooth in A. (C.) atlantica and A. (C.) monroi . Arabella (C.) monroi and A. (C.) robusta n. sp. also share the swollen pygidial pads and the lack of pygidial cirri. Features of the pygidium are not known for A. (C.) atlantica ( Colbath 1989b) .

Etymology. Name refers to robust chaetae, limbate and ventralmost chaetae tapering to distal guards abruptly thicker in relation to parapodia than in other species.

Habitat. Coral rubble, 5–9 m deep.

Type locality. Lizard Island, Big Vicki's reef.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Annelida

Class

Polychaeta

Order

Eunicida

Family

Oenonidae

Genus

Arabella

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