Ficopomatus Southern, 1921

Ten Hove, Harry A. & Kupriyanova, Elena K., 2009, Taxonomy of Serpulidae (Annelida, Polychaeta): The state of affairs, Zootaxa 2036, pp. 1-126 : 41-42

9. Ficopomatus Southern, 1921

( Fig. 16)

Type-species: Ficopomatus macrodon Southern, 1921

Number of species: 5

Tube white (exceptionally orange), opaque, circular to triangular in cross-section, keels, peristomes, and tabulae may be present. Granular overlay of the tube absent. Operculum a bulbous fleshly ampulla, uncovered or covered with either a chitinous, non-calcified endplate or with numerous chitinous spines in the distal tissue. Peduncle smooth, sub-triangular, with dorsal groove, without distal wings, gradually merging into the opercular ampulla; inserted just below left branchial lobe, near medial line. Pseudoperculum absent. Radioles arranged in semi-circles, up to 11 per lobe, not united by inter-radiolar membrane. Branchial eyes, stylodes, and mouth palps absent. 7 thoracic chaetigerous segments. Collar non-lobed, with entire edge, tonguelets absent. Thoracic membranes long, forming ventral apron across anterior abdominal segments. Dorsal edges of thoracic membranes fused in F. uschakovi . Collar chaetae coarsely serrated ( Fig. 16A) and limbate. Apomatus chaetae absent. Thoracic uncini saw-shaped ( Fig. 16B), rarely partly rasp-shaped, with 6–12 teeth; anterior peg flat trapezoidal, blunt, with numerous tiny auxiliary teeth above peg ( Fig. 16D). Triangular depression absent. Abdominal chaetae truly trumpet-shaped, smoothly bent, with denticulate edge ( Fig. 16C); uncini saw- or rasp-shaped. Achaetous anterior abdominal zone absent. Posterior capillary chaetae and glandular pad absent.

Remarks. Ten Hove & Weerdenburg (1978) revised in detail the monotypic brackish-water genera Mercierella Fauvel, 1923 , Sphaeropomatus Treadwell, 1934 , Mercierellopsis Rioja, 1945 , and Neopomatus Pillai, 1960 and synonymized them under Ficopomatus Southern, 1921 . It should be noted that Pillai (2008) reinstated the genus Neopomatus , based on the autapomorphy of thoracic membranes joined over the dorsal thorax, for its single species uschakovi . In Ficopomatus species there is a continuous series in opercular development from unadorned ampulla without any endplate to a fully developed chitinous plate, even with spines (ten Hove & Weerdenburg 1978). The nominal species Ficopomatus capensis Day, 1961 more probably should be placed in Chitinopoma ( fide ten Hove & Weerdenburg 1978: 101 ).

1. Ficopomatus enigmaticus ( Fauvel, 1923) , worldwide subtropical-temperate, Northern and Southern

Hemisphere; brackish 2. Ficopomatus macrodon Southern, 1921 , India, Sri Lanka; tropical; brackish 3. Ficopomatus miamiensis ( Treadwell, 1934) , Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean; SE Gulf of California; tropical;

brackish 4. Ficopomatus talehsapensis Pillai, 2008 Taléh Sap, Gulf of Thailand; tropical; brackish 5. Ficopomatus uschakovi ( Pillai, 1960) , Africa, Indo-Pacific; tropical; brackish.