Terebellides Sars, 1935

Hsueh, Pan-Wen & Li, Kuo-Rong, 2017, Additions of new species to Thelepus (Thelepodidae), with description of a new Terebellides (Trichobranchidae) from Taiwan, Zootaxa 4244 (3), pp. 429-439 : 433-435

Genus Terebellides Sars, 1935

Type species. Terebellides stroemii Sars, 1835 Remarks. Members of Terebellides are characterised by having fused branchial stems and multi-lobed branchiae with transverse lamellae on mid-dorsum, 18 thoracic chaetigers, first neuropodia with geniculate hooks and subsequent ones with denticulate hooks ( Hutchings & Peart 2000; Schüller & Hutchings 2013; Hutchings et al. 2015). Hutchings & Peart (2000) emended the generic diagnosis given in Holthe (1986) by including the presence of ornamented notochaetae and the variation in the number of branchial lobes and their relative development. Schüller & Hutchings (2013) added a morphologic feature to the generic diagnosis, the presence of two segments with geniculate hooks, which is found in Terebellides crux Schüller & Hutchings, 2013 . In the present study, all specimens examined showed various degree of proboscis protrusion. Yet, this observation might raise a question on whether having protruded proboscis of the present species is a stable morphological character. We are not firmly sure about the stability of this morphological character. Therefore, we tend to agree with Hutching & Peart (2000), who stated “ The retractile nature of the proboscis has not previously been recorded and as this is used as a defining character for the genus, a specimen with a fully retractable proboscis could be difficult to identify ”, and make no attempt to include the presence of eversible proboscis in generic diagnosis for Terebellides in the present study.

To date, the genus has 55 valid species, including five recently describes species: Terebellides akares Hutchings, Nogueira & Carrerette, 2015 , Terebellides mediterranea Parapar, Mikac & Fiege, 2013 , Terebellides hutchingsae Parapar, Moreira & Martin, 2016 , Terebellides persiae Parapar, Moreira, Gil & Martin, 2016 , and Terebellides shetlandica Parapar, Moreira & O'Reilly, 2016 ( Schüller & Hutchings 2013, Hutchings et al. 2015 & Parapar et al. 2016a, b, c). The present study adds one more species to the genus.