Vermiliopsis Saint-Joseph, 1894

Ten Hove, Harry A. & Kupriyanova, Elena K., 2009, Taxonomy of Serpulidae (Annelida, Polychaeta): The state of affairs, Zootaxa 2036, pp. 1-126 : 100-102

45. Vermiliopsis Saint-Joseph, 1894

( Fig. 49)

Type-species: Vermilia multivaricosa Mörch, 1863 , new name for Vermilia infundibulum sensu Philippi, 1844

Number of species: 13 (-19)

Tube white, opaque, circular to sub-quadrangular in cross-section; generally with 3–7 longitudinal keels and peristomes. Granular overlay absent. Operculum an inverse conical ampulla, with flat to conical chitinous endplate, sometimes a partitioned cap. Peduncle wrinkled, cylindrical, separated from opercular ampulla by a constriction; without distal wings, but a proximal wing may be present. Peduncle ontogenetically formed from second dorsal radiole on one side, but in adults at base of branchial crown covering 3–6 normal radioles. Pseudoperculum generally absent (but present as under-developed second radiole in V. striaticeps ). Radioles arranged in (semi-)circles, up to 20 per lobe. Inter-radiolar membrane absent. Branchial eyes (single pigmented ocelli) along dorsal side of rhachis. Stylodes absent. Mouth palps may be present. 7 thoracic chaetigerous segments present. Collar trilobed, tonguelets absent. Thoracic membranes short, continuing to 3 rd –5 th thoracic chaetiger. Collar chaetae limbate ( Fig. 49A). Apomatus chaetae present. Thoracic uncini sawshaped with up to 10–15 teeth above blunt indented peg ( Fig. 49B, C). Triangular depression present. Abdominal chaetae flat narrow geniculate, with a more or less crenulated edge (rounded teeth) to the blade ( Fig. 49E, F). Abdominal uncini rasp-shaped, anterior peg blunt ( Fig. 49D). Achaetous anterior abdominal zone absent. Long posterior capillary chaetae present. Posterior glandular pad present.

Remarks. As early as 1776 a summary description of Serpula infundibulum was given by Martini (1776: 359, pl. 12 fig. 1). “ Serpula Infundibulum. Tubulus vermicularis testaceus, in formâ infundibulorum triplici gyro convolutus”. From his description and figure it is impossible to decide whether this tube belongs to the genus Serpula s.str., Vermiliopsis s.str., or Dasynema . His material “a nice group of Eastindian seatophus [= tuff] obtained in an auction” apparently has been lost, it was not found in the musea in Copenhagen and Berlin where some of Martini's mollusks still are. The species was subsequently mentioned by various authors (e.g., Gmelin 1791, Lamarck 1818, Philippi 1844, Chenu 1842 –55), generally miscited as S. infundibulum Gm. , although Gmelin explicitly refers to Martini in his 13 th edition of Systema Naturae.

Mörch (1863: 389) apparently thought that Philippi's (1844: 193) “ Vermilia infundibulum Gm. ” was not the same as Martini's species, since he proposed a new name Vermilia multivaricosa Mörch for Philippi's and other Mediterranean records of this nominal species. Unfortunately Mörch does not give reasons why, and except for a listing as extant species (p. 453) Serpula infundibulum Martini is not discussed further by him, though he reidentified some other “ Serpula infundibulum ” as vermetid or probable Hydroides species. Although Vermilia multivaricosa has been used in the literature about 20 times, the great majority (150 records) of the authors still used the name Vermiliopsis infundibulum , generally attributed to Philippi (1844), probably to indicate that they wanted to confine the name to Mediterranean-Lusitanian material.

Saint-Joseph (1894: 262) erected a new genus Vermiliopsis to contain a number of Vermilia species , the first he included was Vermilia multivaricosa Mörch, 1863 . This species was subsequently formally designated as type species of the genus Vermiliopsis by Bush (1905: 223), in line with Saint-Joseph's intentions.

Many species included in Vermiliopsis by various authors, catalogued by Hartman (1959, 608–609), in the meantime have been referred to the above mentioned genera Metavermilia , Bathyvermilia , Pseudovermilia , Semivermilia , and Neovermilia by Zibrowius (1971b, 1973a) and ten Hove (1975). The traditional “ Vermiliopsis infundibulum Philippi ” from the Mediterranean as for instance in Fauvel (1927: 362–363) and Zibrowius (1968a: 121–124) was found to contain two different species “ Vermiliopsis infundibulum Philippi s.str. ” and Vermiliopsis striaticeps Grube, 1862 ( Zibrowius 1973b: 44–45, ten Hove 1975: 57–58; Bianchi 1981: 74–75). Apparently both the genus Vermiliopsis and the species infundibulum are ill-defined, and designation of a neotype is unavoidable. The binomen Vermiliopsis infundibulum generally has been used for Mediterranean-Lusitanian forms, and only rarely for Indo-Pacific forms which normally are identified as Vermiliopsis glandigera Gravier, 1906 or Vermilia / Vermiliopsis pygidialis Willey, 1905 . The origin of Martini's specimen is ill defined at least, maybe even doubtful (obtained in an auction). In view of the Preamble of the International Code of Nomenclature, the object of it being to promote stability, it appears fitting to choose a neotype from the Mediterranean to preserve a well known name. This, however, should be done in the context of a much-needed revision of the problematic genus, and falls outside the scope of present account.

According to Zibrowius (1973a), Vermiliopsis sensu stricto is characterized by a peduncle formed from the first dorsal radiole. On closer inspection (by us) it appeared to be derived from the second, covering radioles 1–4. There is one species, V. labiata , where the distal chitinous plate of the operculum is reinforced with calcareous matter like a coral-theca.

The attribution of the taxa Vermiliopsis (?) eliasoni , glacialis , and notialis to this genus has been questioned by Zibrowius (1968b, 1970a). V. prampramiana , from the Gold Coast (Africa), is regarded to be undeterminable by Zibrowius (1973b), however, see remarks Filogranella .

1. Vermiliopsis annulata ( Schmarda, 1861) , Jamaica, Caribbean; complex of at least 2 species, with the next taxon

2. Vermiliopsis cf. annulata sensu ten Hove & San Martín (1995) , Caribbean; see above

3.? Vermiliopsis eliasoni Zibrowius, 1970a , Banc Joséphine, Central Atlantic; generic attribution uncertain

4.? Vermiliopsis glacialis Monro, 1939 , Antarctic; bathyal; generic attribution uncertain

5. Vermiliopsis glandigerus Gravier, 1906 , Red Sea, Indo-West Pacific; part of complex with V. pygidialis , V. infundibulum

6. Vermiliopsis infundibulum ( Philippi, 1844) , Mediterranean, North Atlantic; part of complex with V. pygidialis , V. glandigerus

7. Vermiliopsis labiata ( Costa, 1861) , Mediterranean, tropical Atlantic, Indo-West Pacific

8. Vermiliopsis leptochaeta Pillai, 1971 , Sri Lanka; part of complex with V. pygidialis , V. glandigerus

9.? Vermiliopsis longiseta ( Bush, 1910) , Bermuda Islands; questionable

10.? Vermiliopsis minuta Straughan, 1967a , Heron Island , Queensland; doubtful, maybe composite

11. Vermiliopsis monodiscus Zibrowius, 1968c , Mediterranean, North Atlantic

12. Vermiliopsis multiannulata ( Moore, 1923) , South California to the Galapagos; part of complex with V. glandigerus , V. infundibulum

13.? Vermiliopsis notialis Monro, 1930 , South Georgia, (sub)antarctic; generic attribution uncertain

14.? Vermiliopsis producta ( Benham, 1927) , New Zealand; status uncertain

15. Vermiliopsis pygidialis ( Willey, 1905) , Sri Lanka, Indo-West Pacific; part of complex with V. glandigerus , V. infundibulum

16. Vermiliopsis spirorbis ( Langerhans, 1884) , Madeira; part of V. infundibulum -complex

17. Vermiliopsis striaticeps ( Grube, 1862) , Mediterranean, Atlantic

18. Vermiliopsis torquata Treadwell, 1943 , Hawaiian Islands; part of complex with V. glandigerus , V. infundibulum

19. Vermiliopsis zibrowii Nogueira & Abbud, 2009 , South Brazil.