Reteterebella queenslandia Hartman, 1963

Nogueira, João Miguel Matos, Hutchings, Pat & Carrerette, Orlemir, 2015, Terebellidae (Annelida, Terebelliformia) from Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, Zootaxa 4019 (1), pp. 484-576 : 504-506

Reteterebella queenslandia Hartman, 1963

( Fig. 13 )

Reteterebella queenslandia Hartman 1963: 353 –357, pl. 1, figs 1–3.— Hutchings & Glasby 1988: 51 (in part).

Type material. Holotype: AM W.3755, Heron Island, reef flat, 23°27'S, 151°55'E, complete specimen, in excellent shape, but with a deep dorso-lateral cut on right side of body, above line of notopodia, extending from segments 2– 16.

Other material examined. AM W.47705, CReefs, HI–10–046, MI QLD 2261, reef flat in front of Heron Island Research Station, 23°27'S, 151°55'E; AM W.32722, AM W.26896, One Tree Island, 23°30'S, 152°05'E.

Description. Transverse prostomium attached to dorsal surface of upper lip; basal part with eyespots in a continuous row, mid-dorsal gap absent; distal part shelf-like. Long bright white buccal tentacles lacking any pigmentation, several times longer than body length ( Fig. 13 A–G). Peristomium forming lips, hood-like upper lip, short, nearly circular, as long as wide; short and swollen lower lip, button-like. Segment 1 narrow, ventrally fused to lower lip, segment 2 with thickened anterior margin, protruding as a ventral crest; low, flaring, mostly ventrolateral lobes present on segments 2–5, wider on segment 2, extending from sides of mouth to lateral body, much narrower lobes on segment 3, aligned with dorsal margins of lobes of segment 2, lobes of segments 4 and 5 about same width, inserted ventro-laterally ( Fig. 13 A–G). Anterior segments inflated dorsally. Paired dorso-lateral arborescent branchiae present on segments 2–4, each with short, dichotomously branching basal stem, ending with short filaments; progressively shorter pairs, all longitudinally aligned ( Fig. 13 A–G). Ventral shields on segments 2– 16 (in holotype), trapezoidal, those on segment 2 the shortest, larger shields on segments 3–4, short on segment 5 and progressively increasing in length until segment 12; shields broader anteriorly, merging with neuropodia, progressively tapering on segments 4–10, then remarkably narrower, only mid-ventral and almost inconspicuous until segment 16 ( Fig. 13 B, E–F). Notopodia beginning on segment 5, extending until segments 20 or 21; notopodia short, rectangular, all longitudinally aligned, first pair slightly shorter ( Fig. 13 A–G). Narrowly-winged notochaetae in both rows, those from posterior row with wings at distal half only ( Fig. 13 H–I). Neuropodia present from segment 5, as low, almost sessile ridges until termination of notopodia, as low rectangular pinnules thereafter; wide tori on anterior segments, ventral edges of tori of segments 12–20 almost reaching ventral mid-line ( Fig. 13 A–G). Neurochaetae throughout as short-handled avicular uncini, arranged in double rows from segment 10 to last with notopodia, segments 20 or 21; rows partially intercalated, dorsal buttons aligned; angular, sharp-angled uncini throughout, with short triangular heel, distally pointed prow, dorsal button at mid-length, and crest with 2 teeth above main fang and perhaps a second row as single, minute tooth between teeth of first row ( Fig. 13 J– O). Nephridial and genital papillae on segments 3–8, dorsal to line of notopodia on segments 3 and 4, between parapodial lobes on segments 5–8. Pygidium smooth to slightly crenulate ( Fig. 13 A–B). Lives in soft flimsy tubes made of very fine reefal sediments.

Remarks. Reteterebella queenslandia was described by Hartman (1963) from the reef flat at Heron Island on the southern GBR. Hutchings & Glasby (1988) reported that the species also occurred at Lizard Island. However, subsequent sampling at Lizard revealed that they represent a new species R. lirrf n. sp. These two species live in very different habitats. At Lizard Island, R. lirrf n. sp. lives deep down in the coral but still extend their buccal tentacles out over the coral and substrate, and can be challenging to collect. At Heron Island, R. queenslandia can be easily collected by just turning over loose flat dead coral plates and the flimsy fine sediment tube is loosely attached to the undersurface (see Mather & Bennett 1984, Plate 111, fig. 2) and easily removed. Our analysis of material from the Lizard Island, however, revealed slight, but conspicuous morphological variation between this material and specimens from Heron Island, mostly in the shape and number of mid-ventral shields, and the morphology of the uncini. For this reason, together with their occurrence in different habitats, we describe the material from Lizard Island as a new species. We suspect this species is widespread across the GBR. In contrast, we suggest that R. queenslandia is restricted to the reef flat at Heron and nearby One Tree Island, as this type of reef flat is not a widespread habitat on the GBR ( PH pers observ.).

Distribution. Currently only known from Heron Island reef flat and nearby One Tree Island. The species has been recorded from the Solomon Islands by Gibbs (1971), but this material should be checked.

Figures

FIGURE 13. Reteterebella queenslandia AM W. 47705, MI QLD 2261: A – B. Entire worm, right and left lateral views, respectively; C – D, G. Anterior end in progressively higher magnifications, right lateral views, respectively; E – F. Progressively closer views of the anterior end, left lateral view; H – I. Notochaetae, segments 8 and 18, respectively; J – M. Uncini, segments 8, 18 (2), 24, respectively; N – O. Posterior uncini. Numbers refer to segments. Abbreviations: ul = upper lip. Scale bars: A – B = 1 cm, C = 0.6 mm, D, F = 0.3 mm, E, G = 0.4 mm, H = 100 µm, I = 80 µm, J – M, O = 20 µm, N = 40 µm.