Protula superba Moore, 1909

Bastida-Zavala, J. Rolando, 2008, Serpulids (Annelida: Polychaeta) from the Eastern Pacific, including a brief mention of Hawaiian serpulids, Zootaxa 1722, pp. 1-61 : 38

Protula superba Moore, 1909

( Figure 8K)

Protula superba Moore, 1909: 290–293 , pl. 9, figs. 64–65. Type locality: Monterey Bay , California, USA.

Protula superba .— Hartman, 1969: 769–770, figs. 1–2, California, USA.

Material examined. Ten specimens: California ( USA), LACMN-AHF s.n., 6 spec. (34º2’N, 119º26’5”W, 1.6 km north of west end of Anacapa Island , Velero III, sta. 1419, black trawl, sand, sea urchins, 90–94 m, Sept. 17, 1941) ; LACM-AHF s.n., 2 spec. ( Southern California , June 12, 1964, don. Henry Loummetorm) ; LACM-AHF s.n. (33º54’N, 118º32’W, South Bank , Santa Monica Bay, 52 m, July 28, 1964, coll. Robert Given) ; MBL-SD s.n. (approx. 32º40’N, 117º25’W, San Diego , trawl, SD 11, 87 m, July 10, 1998) .

Diagnosis. Tube white, thick-walled, smooth, sometimes with shallow transversal ridges, lacks longitudinal ridges, peristomes or alveoli. Branchial crown with 45–56 radioles per lobe, in spiral arrangement, with 1.5–8 whorls; interradiolar membrane a quarter of radiole length. Operculum and opercular peduncle absent. Thorax flattened dorso-ventrally. Thoracic membrane extends to last thoracic chaetiger, well developed. Collar and thorax with hooded (limbate) chaetae. Abdomen with geniculate chaetae. Thoracic and abdominal uncini with teeth ( Fig. 8K). Dorsal caudal gland present.

Habitat. Depth: 52–94 m. In shelf depths on soft bottoms.

Distribution. Only known from California ( USA) ( Hartman 1969).

Taxonomic remarks. Protula pacifica and P. superba are very similar. Apparently, the only difference is the number of the whorls in the branchial lobes (1–1.5 and 1.5–8, respectively) and the thorax flattened dorsoventrally (observed in all specimens revised here) in P. superba . However, the number of whorls is a function of animal’s size and number of radioles (Kupriyanova, pers. comm.). The thorax depression could be a fixation artefact. A detailed revision of more specimens of both species is necessary to resolve the correct status of the species. A revision of the species of Protula is required as it is one of the most poorly known genera (ten Hove, pers. comm.).