Trophoniella fiegei, SALAzAR-Vallejo, 2012

SALAzAR-Vallejo, Sergio I., 2012, Revision of Trophoniella Hartman, 1959 (Polychaeta, Flabelligeridae), Zoosystema 34 (3), pp. 453-519 : 453-519

Trophoniella fiegei n. sp.

( Fig. 12 )

TYPE MATERIAL.— Persian Gulf. Holotype ( SMF 15379), off Jebel Ali, Dubai, low intertidal, 19.III.1998, M. Apel.

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL. — Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea. 3 anterior fragments ( LACM-AHF 2483), International Indian Ocean expedition, Iran, off Chan Bahar Bay, R/V Anton Bruun, stn AB 247B (25°06’N, 60°45’E), 110 m,

sticky clay with shells, 28.XI.1963 (larger fragment regenerating the anterior end, 17.5 mm long, 2.5 mm wide, cephalic cage damaged, 2 mm long, 32 chaetigers; gonopodial papillae pale, low lobes in chaetiger 5).

TYPE LOCALITY. — Jebel Ali, Dubai, low intertidal.

DISTRIBUTION. — Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, from low intertidal to 110 m depth.

ETYMOLOGY. — This species is named after Dr Dieter Fiege, friend, curator and polychaete specialist from the SMF, in recognition for his fine publications on polychaete taxonomy, because he has been very helpful during my research activities, and by preparing a large loan of specimens from the Indian Ocean, including the specimen for this description.

DESCRIPTION

Holotype ( SMF 15379) subcylindrical, thin, wider anteriorly, tapering towards both ends ( Fig. 12A ).

Body yellowish, slightly darker anteriorly, complete, posterior end detached, most chaetae broken, some papillae eroded, 25 mm long, 2.5 mm wide, cephalic cage chaetae 2 mm long, 60 + 3 chaetigers. Tunic thick, smooth, without sediment particles. Papillae small, sparse; dorsal papillae slightly larger than ventral ones, all capitate, arranged in 6 - 9 transversal rows per segment in median chaetigers ( Fig. 12B, C ).

Anterior end partially exposed ( Fig. 12B ); not dissected to avoid further damage. Cephalic hood partially exposed, margin papillose. Palps lost. Branchiae thin, pale, with irregular dark blotches. Other features not observed.

Cephalic cage chaetae less than 1⁄₁₀ body length or slightly shorter than body width; chaetiger 1 involved in the cephalic cage, three noto- and two neurochaetae per side. Chaetal transition gradual, chaetiger 6 with shorter neurochaetae each with long articles. First chaetigers without dorsal lobes nor large, middorsal papillae. Chaetigers 1 - 3 of about the same length. Gonopodial lobes not seen.

Parapodia poorly developed, lateral; median neuropodia ventrolateral. Noto- and neuropodia lateral. Notopodia scarcely developed; associated papillae slightly larger than other dorsal ones.

Median notochaetae arranged in short oblique series, 4 - 5 notochaetae anteriorly, 5 - 6 posteriorly, as long as 1⁄₂-1⁄₃ body width; all notochaetae multiarticulated capillaries, each with long articles throughout the chaeta ( Fig. 12D ). Neuropodia scarcely developed; associated papillae slightly larger than other lateral ones. Multiarticulated capillaries with short articles basally, medium-sized medially and distally in chaetigers 1 - 5. From chaetiger 6, shorter multiarticulated neurohooks, arranged in a short transverse series, each with four hooks medially, five posteriorly. Each hook with short articles basally, long articles medially and distally; tips falcate, bidentate. Anchylosed neurohooks bidentate, from chaetiger 50 ( Fig. 12E ), each pale, with short rings basally, subdistally straight, tapering to the fang and accessory tooth, both of about the same length.

Posterior end without achaetous segments; pygidium with anus terminal with a middorsal thick lobe, slightly eroded.

REMARKS

Trophoniella fiegei n. sp. belongs to the group of species lacking sediment particles on the tunic and having a finely papillated surface such as T. fernandensis n. comb. from western Africa and the Mediterranean Sea. The main difference between these species is the relative number of transverse rows of papillae; thus, T. fiegei n. sp. has 6-7 rows, whereas there are about 15 rows in T. fernandensis n. comb.

Figures

FIG. 12. — Trophoniella fiegei n. sp. holotype (SMF 15379): A, lateral view; B, anterior end, lateral view; C, anterior chaetigers; D, far posterior chaetiger, notochaetal basal, medial and distal regions; E, same chaetiger, neurochaetae (inserts: neurochaetal tips). Scale bars: A, 1.6 mm; B, 0.5 mm; C, 0.4 mm; D, 28 µm; E, 90 µm.