Autolytus neapolitanus Cognetti, 1953

Nygren, Arne, 2004, Revision of Autolytinae (Syllidae: Polychaeta)., Zootaxa 680, pp. 1-314 : 186-187

Autolytus neapolitanus Cognetti, 1953

Autolytus neapolitanus Cognetti, 1953b: 90 , fig. 2; 1957: 74: fig. 17A–B.

Description. Types not possible to check, description from Cognetti (1953b). Length 4–5 mm for 35–60 chaetigers. Live specimens pale orange, 5 red spots on outer pharyngeal sheath. Ciliation not described.

Eyes separated; eye spots present. Palps project well in front of prostomium. Nuchal epaulettes not described.

Median antenna much longer than lateral. Dorsal tentacular cirri twice the length of ventral pair. Cirri on chaetiger 1 shorter than median antenna ( Cognetti, 1953b: fig. 2), second dorsal cirri longer than following dorsal cirri. Alternation in direction not described. Dorsal cirri from chaetiger 3, alternate in length; short cirri equals 1/2 of body width ( Cognetti, 1953b: fig. 2), long cirri equals 2/3 of body width ( Cognetti, 1953b: fig. 2). Cirrophores present on tentacular cirri, and all dorsal cirri. Cirrophores equal, cirrostyles unequal; short cirrostyles 2/ 3 in length of long cirrostyles ( Cognetti, 1953b: fig. 2); cirrophores shorter than cirrostyles. Dorsal cirri from chaetiger 3, slightly clavate, other appendages cylindrical.

Parapodial lobes not described. Aciculae unknown. Number of chaetae unknown. Compound chaetae bidentate. Bayonet chaetae not described.

Pharynx with short sinuation anterior to proventricle. Trepan in chaetiger 1 ( Cognetti, 1953b: fig. 2), with 29 equal teeth, but in the figure c. 20 is drawn, number of rings not described. Basal ring, and infradental spines perhaps present, as interpreted from the figure. Proventricle in chaetiger 10–12?, as judged from figure; unknown number of rows of muscle cells.

Reproduction. One specimen with a single stolon, collected in November. Position of stolon not mentioned.

Distribution. Mediterranean Sea.

Remarks. There is currently insufficient information to specify any closer affinity, and A. neapolitanus is here referred to as Autolytinae incertae sedis . The club shaped dorsal cirri could be an indication of affinity with Virchowia , but the cirri is much less club shaped than usual in Virchowia , and the cirrophores do not alternate in size as in Virchowia . The specimen with a single stolon, could mean that A. neapolitanus reproduce with anterior scissiparity, but the position of the stolon is not known.