Marphysa mossambica ( Peters, 1854 )

Hutchings, Pat, Lavesque, Nicolas, Priscilla, Lyndsay, Daffe, Guillemine, Malathi, E. & Glasby, Christopher J., 2020, A new species of Marphysa (Annelida: Eunicida: Eunicidae) from India, with notes on previously described or reported species from the region, Zootaxa 4852 (3), pp. 285-308 : 297

Marphysa mossambica ( Peters, 1854)

Fig. 6 A–D

Eunice mossambica Peters 1854: 612 .

Marphysa mossambica .— Gravier, 1900: 267–270, pl. 14, figs 89–90, text figs 137–139.— Crossland, 1903: 139–140. Pl.15, figs 7–10.— Day, 1967: 395, fig. 17.5i–m. Non Idris et al. 2014: 119. Non Fauvel 1932: 142; 1953: 246.

Nauphanta mossambica — Fauchald, 1987: 376–378, fig. 1. Peters, 1854, emended.

Material examined. Lectotype ZMB 4005, and the associated SEM stubs of parapodia 2, 32, 96, 160, 224 and 252 used by Zanol et al. (2014) were re-examined. All material was collected at Moçambique by Peters (1854).

Remarks. This species is easily distinguished from all others in the M. sanguinea group by the exclusive presence of limbate chaetae in the subacicular fascicle, i.e., compound chaetae are entirely absent ( Fauvel 1932; Glasby & Hutchings 2010). We examined chaetigers 1, 32, 96, 160, 224 and 252 and no compound chaetae were present. Figure 6A, B shows the presence of simple limbate capillaries arranged in two tiers of short and long chaetae with narrow wings and finely ornamented surfaces. Pectinate chaetae were present from chaetiger 32 and consist of three types, a. thick shaft, isodont, symmetrical with a large number of small teeth ( Fig. 6B, C ), b. thick shaft, isodont, asymmetrical with ~25 teeth ( Fig. 6D ) and c, anodont with eight large teeth ( Fig. 6D ). Anterior and middle chaetigers with single type of pectinate chaetae (type a), but two kinds present in posterior segments (types b and c).

Records of this species from northern Australia and Philippines are likely misidentifications and will be described separately as new species (Glasby et al. in prep.). The sequence data of M. mossambica in Zanol et al. (2016) is from Dumangas, Iliolo, Philippines (AM W.35470), near the type locality of Marphysa iloiloensis Glasby, Mandario, Burghardt, Kupriyanova, Gunton & Hutchings, 2019 . The two species are clearly different morphologically, and the Philippine M. mossambica also appears to differ from its name-sake. As described by Glasby & Hutchings (2010), M. mossambica has only limbate chaetae in the subacicular neuropodia (Group A of Fauchald 1970) with compound chaetae absent. A species described by Idris et al. (2014) from Malaysia, M. moribidii also has this feature, and other likely new Marphysa species with this condition will be described soon from Philippines and northern Australia (Glasby et al. in prep.). It is entirely possible that undescribed forms of Group A are present in India, but they are unlikely to be M. mossambica as widespread endemism is increasingly being shown by recent studies to be unlikely in the group. Fauvel (1932) recorded M. mossambica from several localities in Nicobar, Camorta Island, Krusadai Island, Pamban Backwater, Kilakaria and Sunderbans, repeated in Fauvel (1953); he stated that the species is characterised by the complete absence of compound chaetae. However, recent studies suggest that M. mossambica represents a complex of species defined by a simplified complement of chaetae (only limbates, pectinates and subacicular hooks) ( Idris et al. 2014; Glasby, pers. data). We further suggest that the records of this species by Fauvel (1932, 1953) cannot be substantiated at this stage without examining his material, which he indicated he deposited in the Indian Museum, Madras Government Museum and ZSI Kolkata but we have been unable to confirm this and their collections are not available online.

Type locality. Mozambique .

Figures

FIGURE 6. Marphysa mossambica (Peters, 1854), specimen 4005-Berlin. A. general view of chaetiger 2. B. Pectinate chaetae from chaetiger 32. C. Pectinate chaetae from chaetiger 160. D. Pectinate chaetae from chaetiger 224. Scale bars: A = 100 µm, B = 20 µm, C, D = 10 µm.