Harmothoe Kinberg, 1856

Barnich, R. & Fiege, D., 2000, Revision of the Mediterranean species of Harmothoe Kinberg, 1856 Lagisca Malmgren, 1865 (Polychaeta: Polynoidae: Polynoinae) descriptions of a new genus and a new species, Journal of Natural History 34, pp. 1889-1938 : 1891-1893

Genus Harmothoe Kinberg, 1856

Type species: Harmothoe spinosa Kinberg, 1856 .

Diagnosis. Fifteen pairs of elytra, more or less covering body. Prostomium with distinct cephalic peaks; median antenna in anterior notch, lateral antennae inserted ventrally. Parapodia biramous; neuropodia with digitiform supra-acicular process; tips of noto- and neuroacicula penetrating epidermis. Notochaetae stout, with distinct rows of spines and blunt tips; neurochaetae with distinct rows of spines only distally, tips bi- and unidentate.

Description. Body dorsoventrally fl attened, short, with up to 50 segments; body more or less covered by elytra or short tail uncovered (in large specimens) (fi gure 1). Fifteen pairs of elytra on segments 2, 4, 5, 7, on alternate segments to 23, 26, 29 and 32; fi rst pair rounded, the following oval to kidney-shaped; surface usually ornamented with microtubercles and with or without macrotubercles and papillae; margin smooth or with fringing papillae. Dorsal cirri with cylindrical cirrophores and long styles on segments lacking elytra (fi gure 2A); nodular dorsal tubercle on cirrigerous segments (e.g. fi gure 3A). Ventral cirri short (except on second segment), consisting of cirrophore and style on all segments (fi gure 2A, B). Nephridial papillae usually present from chaetiger 5 to the end of the body. Pygidium with one pair of anal cirri (fi gure 1).

Prostomium bilobed, with distinct cephalic peaks, three antennae: ceratophore of median antenna in anterior notch, lateral antennae with ceratophores inserted ventrally; a pair of palps; usually two pairs of eyes, anterior pair anteroventrally beneath cephalic peaks (e.g. fi gure 3A) or dorsolaterally on widest part of prostomium (e.g. fi gure 7A), posterior pair dorsally near hind margin of prostomium; pharynx with nine pairs of border papillae (fi gure 1) and two pairs of hooked jaws. First or tentacular segment with a pair of tentaculophores inserted laterally to prostomium, each bearing a dorsal and a ventral tentacular cirrus and one or two chaetae (e.g. fi gure 3A). Second or buccal segment with fi rst pair of elytra, biramous parapodia, and long ventral cirri.

Parapodia of subsequent segments biramous, both rami with elongate acicular lobe; neuropodia with digitiform supra-acicular process; tips of noto- and neuroacicula penetrating epidermis (fi gure 2A, B). Notochaetae as stout as or stouter than neurochaetae, with distinct rows of spines and blunt tips (fi gure 2C, D); neurochaetae usually more numerous, with distinct rows of spines only distally and usually two kinds of tips: bidentate with secondary tooth subdistally and unidentate with pointed tip (fi gure 2E -G).