Polycirrus denticulatus de Saint-Joseph, 1894

Glasby, Christopher J. & Hutchings, Pat, 2014, Revision of the taxonomy of Polycirrus Grube, 1850 (Annelida: Terebellida: Polycirridae), Zootaxa 3877 (1), pp. 1-117 : 45-47

Polycirrus denticulatus de Saint-Joseph, 1894

Fig. 22a, b

Polycirrus denticulatus de Saint-Joseph, 1894: 242–243 , pl. X, figs 271–274.

Type locality. Brittany, France .

Material examined.? HOLOTYPE MNHN 1547 (formerly Jar A 229), Concarneau, Brittany, France, coll. M le Baron de St. Joseph no. 20.

Description. Type specimen incomplete (broken at segment 12/13), slightly yellow, especially tentacles.

Dorsum anteriorly tessellated ( Fig. 22a ). Venter with mid-ventral groove from segment 4 ( Fig. 22b ) and 10 pairs of discrete ventro-lateral pads, incised, extending from segment 3 to at least segment 12.

Buccal tentacles of two types all detached: (1) leaf-shaped, deeply furrowed and (2) cylindrical, thickened distally, distinctly grooved, both arising at junction between prostomium and upper lip. Prostomial ridge distinctly curved, extending laterally along anterodorsal base of upper lip. Upper lip comprising single (medial) lobe only, margin of lobe thickened and overturned; oral surface glandular and ciliated. Outer lower lip flat, shield-like, subtriangular and pointing toward mouth, ridged and grooved, extending posteriorly to segment 3. Achaetous segments visible entirely as distinct rings.

Notochaetigerous segments, 10, extending to at least segment 12 (type specimen broken). Notopodia more-orless rectangular, lobes triangular (slightly rounded), equally long. Notochaetae within a chaetiger one type (chaetiger 5 examined), two distinct lengths, smooth, narrowly winged, subdistally expanded. Neuropodia and neurochaetae not observed.

Nephridial papillae present, cylindrical. Pre-gular membrane nephridial papillae present on segments 3–4. Post-gular membrane nephridial papillae present, extending from segment 5 to 8; situated at ventral base of notopodia.

Comments. The above description is a composite based on the type description and a specimen identified on the label as the type of P. denticulatus (MNHN Type 1547) from Concarneau, Brittany, collected by M le Baron de St. Joseph. This specimen does not fit exactly the type description in that there are no neurochaetae on segments 9–10, which are stated to be present in the type description. Further, the type locality is reported by Saint-Joseph (1894) to be the coast of Dinard, Britanny, NW France (48˚37.36’N 2˚03.06’W), whereas the information on the label of the MNHN Type 1547 says Concarneau, Brittany. According to Solis Weiss et al (2004) the types of P. denticulatus are registered at the MNHN under POLY TYPE 970–973. These specimens were recorded as having been collected in 1894 from Dinard, Brittany, France, which corresponds to the locality given in the type description. However, according to the current polychaete collection manager at MNHN, Tarik Meziane, 970–973 are actually parts of Type 1547 mounted on slides. Therefore, Type 1547 is tentatively regarded as the holotype, but the matter warrants further investigation considering the conflicting information on specimen versus description and on the type locality.

According to the type description there are 13–17 notochaetigerous segments and the notochaetae are finely hirsute on one side only (the flexed, convex side). This condition suggests that the hirsuteness is a result of wear of a normal winged-type chaeta, and does not represent a true hirsute chaeta, which has hairs on both sides. The following additional character data for the posterior body are taken from the type description: neurochaetae begin on segment 9–10 before last notochaetigerous segment; there are 25–40 uncini per row; uncini have a short neck and straight to convex base (Type 1); teeth above the main fang are arranged in a double transverse series, there is an enlarged median tooth present above the main fang and the subrostral process is absent.

Figures

FIGURE 22. Polycirrus denticulatus de Saint-Joseph.?HOLOTYPE MNHN 154. A. Anterior end, dorsal view. B. anterior end, ventral view.