Eunice heterochaeta Quatrefages 1866

Eunice heterochaeta Quatrefages, 1866

Eunice heterochaeta Quatrefages, 1866:314, pl. 10: fig. 3.—Grube, 1870a:295–296.

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—Holotype, MNHN, Paris, A.1 (R.)- 1868-no. 48a, Guettary, Quatrefages.

DESCRIPTION.—Holotype complete, of unknown sex, with 105 setigers; total length 27 mm; maximal width 3.5 mm at setiger 10; length through setiger 10, 4 mm. Body cylindrical throughout.

Prostomium (Figure 55g) distinctly shorter and narrower than peristomium, less than as deep as peristomium. Prostomial lobes frontally truncate, dorsally flattened; median sulcus shallow. Eyes absent. Antennae in horseshoe, evenly spaced; A-I slimmer than A-II and A-III. Ceratophores ring-shaped in all antennae, without articulations. Ceratostyles slender and tapering, with up to 5 long, cylindrical articulations in A-III. A-I to posterior peristomial ring; A-II to setiger 1; A-III to setiger 5. Peristomium very much wider than prostomium, with distinct, muscular lower lip. Separation between rings distinct dorsally and ventrally; anterior ring of total peristomial length. Peristomial cirri to middle of anterior peristomial ring, slender and tapering, without articulations.

Jaws missing.

Branchiae (Figure 55l) present, pectinate, distinctly longer than notopodial cirri, not reduced in mid-body region, erect. Branchiae from setiger 3 to 85. Branchiae terminating well before posterior end, present on more than 65% of total number of setigers. First 3 and last 15 branchiae single filaments, maximum 7 filaments at about setiger 25. Stems short, tapering, shorter than filaments. Filaments slender, as long as notopodial cirri in all except first 2 and last 10 branchial setigers.

Neuropodial acicular lobes truncate to rounded; aciculae emerging at midline. Pre- and postsetal lobes low, transverse folds. First 4 ventral cirri tapering, digitiform, becoming basally inflated from setiger 5. Inflated bases thick, short transverse welts, lost by setiger 30; narrow tips tapering. Posterior ventral cirri tapering, becoming increasingly digitiform in last setigers present. Anterior notopodial cirri basally inflated, with 3–4 long, cylindrical articulations, losing articulations in branchial region, retaining inflated bases in all setigers. Limbate setae slender, marginally smooth. Pectinate setae (Figure 55i) tapering, flat. One marginal tooth slightly longer than other teeth, less than 10 teeth present. Shafts of compound falcigers (Figure 55h) tapering, marginally smooth; beaks indistinct. Appendages tapering; heads large, bidentate. Proximal teeth about twice as large as distal teeth, triangular. Distal teeth distinctly curved, tapering. Guards symmetrically bluntly pointed, marginally smooth; mucros absent. Pseudocompound falcigers and compound spinigers absent. Usually 3 or more aciculae (Figure 55k) in anterior or medial parapodia, yellow, slender, gently curved or bent; cross-sections round. Separation between core and sheath indistinct in both aciculae and subacicular hooks. Subacicular hooks (Figure 55j) yellow, bidentate. Hooks first present from setiger 22, present in all setigers thereafter, always single (except for replacements). Hooks slender, tapering, curved. Proximal teeth about twice as large as distal teeth; both teeth directed laterally.

UNKNOWN MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES.—Jaw structure; pygidium and anal cirri.

EXPECTED STATES OF SELECTED UNKNOWN FEATURES.—None.

CHARACTERS USED IN PREPARATION OF KEY NOT SCORED.—Inappropriate Characters: 14, 56, 58, 59. Unknown Characters: None.

ASSUMED STATES FOR PURPOSE OF PREPARING KEY.—None.