Pherusa parmata ( Grube, 1878 )

Çinar, Melih Ertan, 2009, Alien polychaete species (Annelida: Polychaeta) on the southern coast of Turkey (Levantine Sea, eastern Mediterranean), with 13 new records for the Mediterranean Sea, Journal of Natural History 43 (37 - 38), pp. 2283-2328 : 2307-2309

Pherusa parmata ( Grube, 1878)

( Figure 8 )

Stylarioides parmatus Grube 1878: 199 , pl. 11, fig. 1; Fauvel 1953: 346, fig. 179b. Pherusa parmata Day 1967: 658–660 , fig. 32.2.a–c.

Material examined

ESFM-POL/05-631 , 15 September 2005, K11, 0.1– 3 m, stones with algae, 12 specimens .

Descriptions

Largest specimens incomplete, 12 mm long, 2.5 mm wide, with 25 chaetigers. Body cylindrical tapered posteriorly from chaetiger 26 (in a complete specimen), forming a narrow tail. A well-marked sandy shield on anterior region extending from chaetiger 1 to 4 ( Figure 8A ). Anterior segments with large, pyriform papillae, arranged in an anterior row, wart-like papillae scattered on surface. Number of pyriform papillae diminishing towards posterior end; on dorsal sides of middle segments, five pyriform papillae present. In all parapodia, a large, pyriform papilla present just ventral side of notopodia. Cephalic cage distinct, with 45 very fine long chaetae of first two chaetigers; maximally 6 mm. Chaetigers 3–6 having three to five fine capillaries in both rami ( Figure 8C ). Two stout simple hooks appearing in neuropodium of chaetiger 7. Afterwards, number of hooks slowly increasing to four in middle and again decreasing to two at posterior end of body ( Figure 8B ). Hooks stout, amber coloured in middle parapodia; thin, pale yellow in posterior parapodia. Eyes not seen. One dorsal and two lateral flattened lips around mouth.

Distribution

This species was described from the Philippines and has been previously reported from the Pacific and Indian Oceans ( Day 1967). It is a new species to the Mediterranean fauna. Pherusa parmata has not been reported from the Red Sea and Suez Canal. As it was only found in I skenderun Bay, where many ports are located, this species might have been introduced to the area by ballast waters of ships from Indo- Pacific areas.

Figures

Figure 8. Pherusa parmata: (A) anterior part, dorsal view (ESFM-POL/05-631), (B) simple hooks on neuropodium of chaetiger 15, (C) capillary chaetae on notopodium of chaetiger 5. Scale bars: (A) 1 mm, (B) 70 µm, (C) 90 µm.