Eusyllis kupfferi Langerhans, 1879

San Martin, G & Hutchings, PA, 2006, Eusyllinae (Polychaeta: Syllidae) from Australia with the Description of a New Genus and Fifteen New Species, Records of the Australian Museum 58, pp. 257-370 : 276-278

Eusyllis kupfferi Langerhans, 1879

Figs 12D–F, 13A–G, 14A–E

Eusyllis kupfferi Langerhans, 1879: 552 , Fig. 14.— San Martín, 1990: 607, figs 12, 13.

Eusyllis autolytoides Hartmann-Schröder, 1991: 33 , figs 47–53.

Odontosyllis multidentata Hartmann-Schröder, 1982: 64 , figs 41– 46; 1990: 51, fig. 17.

Material examined. AUSTRALIA: QUEENSLAND: SW Reef, Heron Is. 23°27'S 151°55'E, reef margin, algae, coral sand & coral debris, 3 Feb 1976, 2 paratypes of Eusyllis autolytoides Hartmann-Schröder, 1991 , ( AM W20387) . NEW SOUTH WALES: Off old wharf, Richmond R., near Ballina , 28°52.5'S 153°33.6'E, drift algae, 6 m, coll. S.J. Keable, 5 Mar 1992, 4 ( AM W28218) ; S ledge, Cook Is. 28°11.65'S 153°34.63'E, surface of massive sponges, 14 m, coll. R.T. Springthorpe, 9 Jun 1993, 1 ( AM W28402) ; S ledge, Cook Is. 28°11.65'S 153°34.63'E, Halimeda sp. , 13 m, coll. E.L.A. Ho, 9 Jun 1993, 1 ( AM W28404) ; SW side of South Solitary Is. 30°12'S 153°16'E, coral rubble, 18 m, coll. R.T. Springthorpe, 24 Jun 1992, few ( AM W28215) ; 1 km S of E end of Spectacle Is. Hawkesbury R., 33°32'S 151°07.5'E, muddy sand, 12 m, coll. A.R. Jones & A. Murray, 8 May 1984, 1 ( AM W22149) ; Green Pt. Croppy Pt. Hawkesbury R., 33°33.5'S 151°14.5'E, mud, 6 m, coll. A. Jones & party, 22 Feb 1980, 1 ( AM W196604 ) ; E end of Brooklyn Boat Channel , Hawkesbury R., 33°33'S 151°14'E, coll. A. Jones & party, 18 Dec 1979, 1 ( AM W196606 ) ; E end of Brooklyn Boat Channel , Hawkesbury R., 33°33'S 151°14'E, coll. A. Jones & party, 16 May 1980, 1 ( AM W196607 ) ; E end of Brooklyn Boat Channel, Hawkesbury R.,

prostomium anterior parapodia; (E) aciculae, anterior parapodia; (F) compound chaetae, midbody; (G) compound chaetae, posterior parapodia; (H) acicula, posterior parapodia; (I) dorsal simple chaeta; (J) ventral simple chaeta. AM W28416. Scales: A 0.4 mm, B 0.18 mm, C 0.1 mm, D–J 20 µm.

33°33'S 151°14'E, A. Jones & party, 16 May 1980, 1 ( AM W196609 ) ; E end of Brooklyn Boat Channel, Hawkesbury R., 33°33'S 151°14'E, coll. A. Jones et al., 1 Aug 1979, 2 ( AM W196611 ) ; E end of Brooklyn Boat Channel, Hawkesbury R., 33°33'S 151°14'E, coll. A. Jones et al., 18 Dec 1979, 1 ( AM W196612 ) ; E end of Brooklyn Boat Channel, Hawkesbury R., 33°33'S 151°14'E, coll. A. Jones & party, 18 Dec 1979, 1 ( AM W196613 ) ; Barrenjoey Head, Broken Bay , 33°35'S 151°20'E, algae on rocky substrate, 4 m, coll. J.K. Lowry & party 22 Apr 1983, 1 ( AM W28408) . WESTERN AUSTRALIA: N end of beach, Bundegi Reef, Exmouth Gulf , 21°49'S 114°11'E, rocky rubble, sticky sediment & brown algae with epiphytes, 2 m, coll. H.E. Stoddart, 4 Jan 1984, many + 2 on SEM stub ( AM W28952) ; N end of beach, Bundegi Reef, Exmouth Gulf, 21°49'S 114°11'E, rocky rubble, coralline algae with green epiphyte, 1.5 m, coll. H.E. Stoddart, 4 Jan 1984, several ( AM W28953) .

Description. Body up to 4.5 mm long, 0.3 mm wide, with 40 chaetigers, slightly dorsoventrally flattened, dorsally convex along median line of body, with well marked segments. Distinct colour pattern, with 1 transverse band of red pigment, sometimes 2 bands, and additional narrow bands often laterally located on posterior half of segments (Fig. 13A). Material examined exhibiting great variation in intensity of pigmentation, from highly pigmented to colourless individuals. Prostomium twice as large as 2nd segment, pentagonal to quadrangular, with nuchal notch, ciliated on both sides (Fig. 13A), double semicircle of cilia on anterior part of prostomium ( Fig. 12D,E); 4 eyes in open trapezoidal arrangement, occasionally 2 anterior eyespots. Antennae, tentacular and dorsal cirri fusiform, smooth. Lateral antennae arising in front of anterior eyes, length similar to combined length of prostomium and palps, median antenna typically much longer than lateral antennae, arising slightly posteriorly to lateral antennae ( Figs 12D,E, 13A). Palps broad ( Fig. 12F), shorter than prostomium. Peristomium shorter than following segments, sometimes covered partially by prostomium and fold of chaetiger 1, provided with some cilia ( Figs 12D,E, 13A); dorsal tentacular cirri shorter than median antenna but longer than lateral antennae; ventral tentacular cirri similar to lateral antennae. Dorsal transverse row of cilia on each segment ( Figs 12D, 14A); plus some cilia on dorsal surface of parapodial lobes ( Fig. 14A). Dorsal cirri of chaetiger 1 long, similar in length to median antenna, longer than body width; remaining dorsal cirri irregularly alternating between cirri similar in length to half of body width, and cirri much shorter ( Figs 12D, 13A, 14A). Parapodia short, about third of body width, thick, conical. Ventral cirri broad, shorter than parapodial lobes or similar in length (Figs 13G, 14A). Compound chaetae heterogomph falcigers, shafts with several thin subdistal spines; blades proportionally short, unidentate, with rounded tips, and short spines on margin (Fig. 13B,C). Anterior parapodia with 2 kinds of compound chaetae, one with relatively thin blades, 3 in anterior segments, declining to 1 from midbody onwards (Figs 13B, 14C), blades 20–25 µm in length, located dorsally, other type with thicker and shorter blades (Figs 13C, 14D,E), about 17 µm in length, all similar, 12–14 per parapodium. Dorsal simple chaetae bayonet-shaped (Figs 13D, 14B), from proventricle segments onwards. Ventral simple chaetae absent. Acicula solitary, distally knobbed, apparently hollow at tip (Fig. 13E). Pharynx through 4–5 segments; opening rim smooth on one half and other half with small denticles (Figs 13A,F); material examined exhibiting considerably range in numbers of denticles present, from few to 20–24. Pharyngeal tooth large, conical to rhomboidal; pharyngeal opening provided with crown of about 14 soft papillae (Fig. 13F). Proventricle longer than pharynx, through 7–8 segments, with about 50 muscle cell rows. Pygidium with 2 slender, anal cirri.

Remark. Material from all localities listed in the distribution has been examined by the senior author during other studies, and no morphological differences between them can be found. Molecular studies may be useful to confirm if this is a widely distributed species or a suite of sibling species. Specimens described as Eusyllis autolytoides by Hartmann- Schröder (1991) and Odontosyllis multidentata (Hartmann- Schröder, 1982) agree with the description of Eusyllis kupfferi , so we consider them as synonymous.

Distribution. Portugal (Madeira), Canary Is., Cuba, Australia (Queensland, Western Australia, New South Wales).

Habitat. Occurring on hydroids, Rhizophora mangle roots, on algae, algae with sand, debris, dead corals, sand and mud, from intertidal to about 20 m.