Leodice Savigny in Lamarck, 1818

Zanol, Joana, Hutchings, Pat A. & Fauchald, Kristian, 2020, Eunice sensu latu (Annelida: Eunicidae) from Australia: description of seven new species and comments on previously reported species of the genera Eunice, Leodice and Nicidion, Zootaxa 4748 (1), pp. 1-43 : 21-22

Leodice Savigny in Lamarck, 1818

Description (features in bold are exclusive of this genus but not necessarily present in all species). Prostomium anteriorly steep truncate to round, with three antennae and a pair of palps, prostomial appendages smooth, regular or irregularly articulated; pair of peristomial cirri present. Mandibles flat, cutting plates medially connected. Maxillary plates MxI, MxII, MxIV, MxV and MxVI paired, MxIII most frequently unpaired present on left side only; each species with limited variability in numbers of maxillary teeth. MxII has teeth on anterior 2/3 to 3/4, posterior 1/3–1/4 lacks teeth. MxVI may be absent. Branchiae present, usually pectinate, limited to a number of chaetigers or present over a long body region. Parapodia with well- developed neuropodia; notopodia represented by bases of notopodial cirri. Ventral cirri usually with round basal glandular inflated region at least in median chaetigers; distally tapering to distinct tips. Notopodial cirri well developed in most cases. Internal notopodial aciculae present in anterior chaetigers. Neuropodial aciculae single or multiple, distally often projecting from neuropodia with guards; hammer-headed, tapering to blunt straight tips; light (clear to yellow) or dark (brown to black). When dark neuroaciculae present, most anterior ones lightest but keep similar color shade. Notopodial chaetae absent. Neuropodial chaetae in two distinct fascicles; supra-acicular fascicle located slightly posterior to dorsoventral midline of neuropodia, consisting of limbate chaetae usually in two or more oblique rows and pectinate chaetae usually anterior or dorsal to limbate chaetae. Subacicular fascicle usually located slightly anterior to dorsoventral midline, consisting of true-compound bidentate or tridentate falciger chaetae sensu Zanol et al. (2014); usually arranged in two or more short, oblique rows, rarely in a single flattened fascicle. Chaetae composition usually similar in most chaetigers, but vary in shape and number along the body, often reduced in numbers in far posterior chaetigers; truecompound falciger chaetae tridentate often restricted to median and posterior chaetigers. Subacicular hooks present from anteromedian chaetigers; occurring singly (replacement hooks often visible) or as multiples; distally bi- or tridentate, light or dark. Lateral black dot between posterior parapodia in some species. Dorsal pygidial cirri present; ventral pygidial cirri absent or present.

Remarks. Leodice has recently been resurrected to include species considered to belong to Eunice sensu lato ( Zanol et al. 2014). Its type species is Leodice antennata Savigny in Lamarck, 1818 . Regular cylindrical or moniliform articulations in prostomial appendages, lateral black dot present between posterior parapodial lobes as well as yellow tridentate subacicular hooks are exclusive features of this genus but are not present in all species. Among traditional Eunice sensu lato species, yellow bidentate subacicular hooks appear to be exclusive of those species placed in Leodice . Thus, it is also considered a diagnostic feature of the genus. Dark subacicular hooks, when present, tend to be black with clear teeth. Leodice includes all Eunice sensu lato species of groups A and C sensu Fauchald (1970) and some of group B.