Eunice guildingi Baird 1869

Eunice guildingi Baird, 1869

Eunice guildingi Baird, 1869:351.

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—Holotype, BM(NH) 1839.12.27.5, St. Vincent, West Indies.

DESCRIPTION.—Holotype complete, of unknown sex, with 258 setigers; total length 138 mm; maximal width 6 mm at setiger 10; length through setiger 10, 7 mm.

Prostomium (Figure 53a) distinctly shorter and narrower than peristomium, less than as deep as peristomium. Prostomial lobes frontally rounded, dorsally inflated; median sulcus deep. Eyes not observed. Antennae in horseshoe, evenly spaced, similar in thickness. Ceratophores ring-shaped in all antennae, without articulations. Ceratostyles digitiform; A-I without articulations; A-II and A-III with up to 7 long, cylindrical articulations. A-I to posterior peristomial ring. A-II to posterior edge of setiger 1; A-III to setiger 2. Peristomium slightly flaring anteriorly, with distinct muscular lower lip. Separation between rings distinct on all sides; anterior ring ~ of total peristomial length. Peristomial cirri to middle of prostomium, slender and digitiform, without articulations.

Maxillary formula 1+1, 5+5, 7+0, 6+8, and 1+1.

Branchiae (Figure 53e) present, pectinate, distinctly longer than notopodial cirri, not reduced in mid-body region, erect. Branchiae from setiger 5 to setiger 236. Branchiae terminating well before posterior end, more than 65% of total number of setigers. First branchia with 3 filaments; maximum 11 filaments at setiger 15. From about setiger 40 number of filaments reduced rapidly and by setiger 60 2 filaments remaining. Last 20 branchiae single filaments. Posterior to setiger 50 filaments short and easily overlooked. Branchial stems slender, cylindrical, longer than notopodial cirri. Filaments filiform, longer than notopodial cirri.

Anterior neuropodial acicular lobes broadly rounded; median and posterior acicular lobes asymmetrically rounded; aciculae emerging above midline. Presetal lobes low, transverse folds. Anterior postsetal lobes following outline of acicular lobes closely, becoming low transverse folds in median and posterior setigers. First 4 ventral cirri tapering. Ventral cirri basally inflated from about setiger 5 through remainder of body. Bases ovate, narrow tips tapering. Anterior notopodial cirri digitiform, becoming slightly inflated medially in anterior branchial segments. Notopodial cirri decreasing in length from about setiger 5 to setiger 20, thereafter short, slender, digitiform. Notopodial cirri without articulations.

Pectinate setae (Figure 53d) flat, flaring. One marginal tooth distinctly longer than other teeth, with ~10 coarse teeth. Shafts of compound falcigers (Figure 53c) distally slightly inflated, marginally frayed or serrated. Appendages short, tapering with very large head, bidentate. Proximal teeth shorter than distal teeth, tapering, directed obliquely distally. Distal teeth very nearly erect, tapering. Guards symmetrically bluntly pointed, marginally serrated; mucros absent. Pseudocompound falcigers and compound spinigers absent. Notopodia supported by paired aciculae. Neuropodial aciculae single, black, tapering, distally straight; cross-sections round. Subacicular hooks (Figure 53b) black, bidentate. Hooks first present from setiger 24, present in all setigers thereafter, always single (except for replacements). Hooks tapering to small heads; both teeth directed distally and similar in size.

UNKNOWN MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES.—Relationship between Mx III and left Mx IV; pygidium and anal cirri.

EXPECTED STATES OF SELECTED UNKNOWN FEATURES.—Mx III short and forming part of distal arc with left Mx IV.

CHARACTERS USED IN PREPARATION OF KEY NOT SCORED.—Inappropriate Characters: 56, 60. Unknown Characters: 13, 14, 74, 78.

ASSUMED STATES FOR PURPOSE OF PREPARING KEY.—None.