Phylo Kinberg, 1866

Blake, James A., 2021, New species and records of Orbiniidae (Annelida, Polychaeta) from continental shelf and slope depths of the Western North Atlantic Ocean, Zootaxa 4930 (1), pp. 1-123 : 80

Genus Phylo Kinberg, 1866

Type-species: Phylo felix Kinberg, 1866 , by monotypy.

Diagnosis. Prostomium pointed on anterior margin; peristomium with one achaetous ring. Branchiae first present from setiger 5–7. Posterior thoracic segments with several postsetal lobes and subpodial lobes (at least five of each type) together usually forming ventral fringe. Thoracic neurosetae including blunt uncini and crenulated capillaries; posterior thoracic segments with modified spear-like spines in neuropodia. Flail setae present or absent in posterior abdominal notopodia.

Remarks. Species of Phylo are characterized by having posterior segments of the thoracic region modified with long, pointed spines in the neuropodia. These spines provide species of Phylo with an obvious distinctness that makes them easy to identify. Twelve species of Phylo are considered valid (Read & Fauchald 2020a). Three known species, P. felix , P. norvegicus (M. Sars in G.O. Sars, 1872), and P. ornatus (Verrill, 1873) have been identified from shelf and slope samples in the present study. A fourth species, Phylo paraornatus n. sp., has been discovered among specimens identified as Orbinia swani from the Georges Bank collections.