Key to species of Podarkeopsis Laubier, 1961

(modified from Hilbig 1994)

1 Eyes placed towards the posterior prostomial margin......................................................... 2

– Eyes placed towards the central prostomial area............................................................. 7

2(1) Median parapodia with ventral cirri shorter than neurochaetal lobe.............................................. 3

– Median parapodia with ventral cirri as long as, or longer than neurochaetal lobe.................................... 4

3(2) Eyes coalescent; notopodial furcates with handle smooth, smaller tine curved................................................................................................... P. levifuscina Perkins, 1984 North Carolina, USA

– Eyes distinct; notopodial furcates with handle smooth, smaller tine incurved.................................................................................... P. guadalupensis Amoureux, 1985 Caribbean Sea, Guadeloupe Island

4(2) Notopodial furcates with handle denticulated............................................................... 5

– Notopodial furcates with handle smooth................................................................... 6

5(4) Dorsal cirri as long as body width; neurochaetae sometimes with a long hood.. P. glabrus (Hartman, 1961) California, USA

– Dorsal cirri half as long as body width; neurochaetae without hoods........ P. capensis (Day, 1963) Saldanha Bay, S Africa

6(4) Eyes distinct; lateral antennae shorter than palps; ventral cirri barely longer than neurochaetal lobe........................................................................ P. maraunibinae (Gibbs, 1971) Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands

– Eyes coalescent; lateral antennae longer than palps; ventral cirri markedly longer than neurochaetal lobe........................................................................... P. brevipalpa (Hartmann-Schröder, 1959) El Salvador

7(1) Anterior and posterior eyes ovoid; median antenna blunt...................................................... 8

– Anterior eyes reniform, posterior ones punctiform; anterior eyes markedly larger than posterior ones; median antenna tapered, about two-thirds as long as lateral ones; notopodial furcates shafts with about 8 denticles.......................................................................................... P. perkinsi Hilbig, 1992 Pacific Ocean, California

8(7) Anterior eyes at least twice as large as posterior ones; median antenna one-third as long as lateral ones; notopodial furcates shafts with about 4 denticles................................................. P. galangaui Laubier, 1961 France

– Anterior and posterior eyes subequal; median antenna one-fifth as long as lateral ones; notopodial furcates shafts smooth.................................................................... P. arenicolus (La Greca, 1946) Gulf of Naples