Leodice pycnobranchiata ( McIntosh, 1885 ) Zanol & Hutchings & Fauchald, 2020

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 : 28

Leodice pycnobranchiata ( McIntosh, 1885) n. comb.

Eunice pycnobranchiata McIntosh, 1885: 294 .— Fauchald 1986: 253; 1992: 281.

Material examined. New South Wales. Between Port Stephens and Newcastle , 40–110 m, coll. F.I.S. Endeavour, id. W B Benham, AM E.62 (1) . 24 km NW of Cape Jervis , 31 m, coll. F.I.S. Endeavour id. W.B. Benham, AM E.4571 (l). Tasmania. NE of Babel Island, 182–310 m depth, coll. F.I.S. Endeavour, AM E.5074 (1). Off Maria Island , 119 m, coll. A.A. Exp. Publ. Comm, AM W.833 (4+); 143 m depth, coll. F.I.S. Endeavour, id. W.B. Benham AM E.631 (l), AM E.5065 (3+). Near Storm Bay , coll. F.I.S Endeavour, id. W.B. Benham, AM W.16 (l).

Remarks. The species was originally described from Bass Strait and off southern New South Wales. The relationship between this species and L. laticeps has been discussed above. In general L. pycnobranchiata has not only thick branchiae (as suggested by the species name) but both branchiae and antennae are short and stubby, rather than tapering to relatively slender tips as common in L. laticeps . Most of the specimens examined are large, but within the same size range as the type of L. laticeps .

Type locality. Bass Strait and off southern New South Wales, Australia .