Autolytus rubropunctatus ( Grube, 1860 )

Çinar, Melih Ertan & Gambi, Maria Cristina, 2005, Cognetti’s syllid collection (Polychaeta: Syllidae) deposited at the Museum of the Stazione Zoologica ‘‘ Anton Dohrn’ ’ (Naples, Italy), with descriptions of two new species of Autolytus, Journal of Natural History 39 (10), pp. 725-762 : 738-740

Autolytus rubropunctatus ( Grube, 1860)

( Figure 7 )

Sylline rubropunctata Grube 1860, p 87 , 88, Plate III, Figures 8a, b .

Autolytus ornatus Marion and Bobretzky 1875, p 44 –46, pl. 5, Figures 14a–d.

Autolytus rubropunctatus: Fauvel 1923, p 314 , Figure 120e–i; Cognetti 1957, p 66.

Material examined

SZN-POL7, one specimen, Station 3, Secca della Gajola, 20 November 1953, on coralligenous substrata, 40 m, coll. Cognetti.

Description

Specimen complete, 7.5 mm long, 0.26 mm wide, H+ 1050.76 mm, for 96 chaetigers, yellowish, bearing pinkish spots on mid-dorsum of chaetigers 1–3, and on mid- and lateral dorsum of chaetigers 9–22 ( Figure 7A ). Prostomium rectangular, with two pairs of large reddish eyes, very close to each other on either side; anterior pairs larger, with lenses, accompanied by small spherical reddish bodies. Palps visible dorsally, small, less than 0.25 length of prostomium. Median antenna originating between anterior eyes, extending back to chaetiger 10; lateral ones on anterior margin of prostomium, relatively short, reaching chaetiger 7. Nuchal epaulettes could not be seen on the specimen examined. Peristomium reduced dorsally, with two pairs of tentacular cirri; dorsal ones reaching chaetiger 8. Dorsal cirri on chaetiger 1 long, reaching chaetiger 11, subsequent ones longer or slightly shorter than body width, with less developed cirrophores; containing very large, amber-coloured inclusions. Parapodia rounded in anterior region, conical in posterior region. Falcigers on anterior parapodia numbering 14, strongly bidentate; proximal tooth larger than distal one, spines on cutting edge fine, indistinct ( Figure 7C ); blades of superior falcigers 10 Mm long, those of inferior ones 12.5 Mm long. Falcigers on posterior parapodia numbering 10, bidentate, distal and proximal teeth almost similar in size but proximal one stronger; blades 5 Mm (superior falcigers) to 7.5 Mm (inferior falcigers) long. Aciculae numbering two per parapodium; one with truncated tip, other with tip bending at right angle ( Figure 7E ). Dorsal simple chaeta bayonet-shaped, slightly re-curved, serrated distally and subdistally, only seen on posterior-most parapodia ( Figure 7D ). Proventricle 0.55 mm long, 0.20 mm wide, through seven segments, with 40 muscle cell rows. Pharynx with one sinuation, between chaetigers 3 and 11; trepan with 30 almost equal sharp teeth ( Figure 7B ). Pygidium with one pair of long anal cirri; wrinkled at base ( Figure 7A ).

Remarks

The red spots on the dorsum, long dorsal cirri, large eyes, large granules within the cirri and antennae, ca 30 small, equal teeth on trepan, minute distal tooth of blades of falcigers and very long proventricle (occupying seven segments) characterize Autolytus rubropunctatus . The original description of this species is rather insufficient, but emphasizes the characteristic pigmentation on the dorsum and the large eyes.

Distribution

Adriatic Sea ( Grube 1860), western Mediterranean ( Marion and Bobretzky 1875; Cognetti 1957), eastern Atlantic ( Fauvel 1923).

Figures

Figure 7. (A) Anterior and posterior parts of Autolytus rubropunctatus; (B) trepan; (C) falcigers on anterior parapodium; (D) dorsal simple chaeta; (E) aciculae on middle parapodium. Scale bar: 100 Mm (A); 21 Mm (B); 5 Mm (C–E).

Figure 8. (A) Anterior part of Autolytus tyrrhenicus; (B) stolon; (C) middle parapodium; (D) trepan; (E) inferior falciger on anterior parapodium; (F) dorsal simple chaeta. Scale bar: 100 Mm (A, B); 22 Mm (C); 26 Mm (D); 4.3 Mm (E, F).