Scyphoproctus telesphorei, Da Silva & Amaral, 2019

Silva, Camila Fernanda Da & Amaral, Antonia Cecilia Zacagnini, 2019, Scyphoproctus Gravier, 1904 (Annelida, Capitellidae): description of three new species and relocation of Heteromastides Augener, 1914 in Scyphoproctus, Zootaxa 4560 (1), pp. 95-120 : 118

Scyphoproctus telesphorei n. nov. (“nomen novum”)

Material examined. Heteromastides platyproctus Pillai, 1961 , holotype BMNH 1960.3.13.22—(8°31'12'' N, 81°9'36'' E): 2–7m deep, coll. 1959, Tambalagam Lake, Sri Lanka, Indian Ocean, 1 spec.

Remarks. According to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (1999), identical species-group names established for different nominal taxa and subsequently brought together in combination with the same generic name are secondary homonyms and the junior is invalid. The junior homonym must be rejected and replaced either by an available and potentially valid synonym or, for lack of such a name, by a new substitute name (“ nomen novum ” or “ new replacement name ”), with its own author and date (Art. 60.3). So, after we relocated the genus Heteromastides in Scyphoproctus , we had to rename Heteromastides platyproctus Pillai, 1961 because it was a junior homonym. We chose Scyphoproctus telesphorei after the previous species author, Telesphore Gottfried Pillai.

The original description is very good, except the author did not notice the achaetous segment of the specimen; by the way, the author described the anal plaque, but put this species into another genus. Scyphoproctus telesphorei n. nov. belongs to a group of species with the set of acicular spines positioned marginally on the plaque, either protruding from the edge or embedded. The species presents a rounded prostomium without palpode; eyespot as a pair of elliptical-shaped areas on each side; complete inter-segmental groove between peristomium and achaetous segment; thorax with 13 segments, including peristomium, one additional achaetous segment and 11 chaetigers; one pre-pygidial segments with neuropodial hooks and notopodial spines; a well-developed anal plaque formed by the fusion of 10 chaetigers with 10 sets of acicular spines positioned marginally on the plaque, protruding from the edge, and two short anal cirri.