Comprehensive Description
provided by Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology
Neobylgides scotiensis
MATERIAL EXAMINED.—SOUTHERN OCEAN: Scotia Sea, 61°47′S, 43°40′W, 616–642 m, R/V Islas Orcada cruise 876, sta 121, 21 Feb 1976, holotype (USNM 74739).
MEASUREMENTS.—Type Material: Holotype with 47 segments, 135 mm long, 50 mm wide with setae.
DESCRIPTION.—Body flattened ventrally, arched dorsally, widest in middle, tapering anteriorly and posteriorly; dorsum with 5 or so raised brownish ridges per segment (Figure 16A). Color light to dark purplish on head appendages, elytra, elytrophores, parapodia, and dorsal cirri. Elytra and prominent elytrophores 15 pairs, on usual segments; elytra round to oval, leaving middorsum and posterior 15 segments uncovered; elytra delicate, with thickened areas around places of attachment, without microtubercles and papillae (Figure 16A,C,D).
Prostomium bilobed, without cephalic peaks, wider than long; median antenna with large ceratophore in anterior notch, inflated basally and directed dorsally; style very long with subterminal bulbous area and filamentous tip; lateral antennae with short ceratophores inserted ventral to ceratophore of median antenna, with short styles about length of prostomium, similar in shape to median antenna; palps very long, stouter basally, tapering distally; eyes rather small, in widest part of prostomium, anterior pair larger than posterior pair, tentaculophores lateral and anterior to prostomium, each with prominent acicular lobe on inner side and pair of dorsal and ventral tentacular cirri, similar to but shorter than median antenna; with rather prominent 3-lobed facial ridge (Figure 16A,B).
Second segment with first pair of large elytrophores, biramous parapodia, and ventral buccal cirri attached basally, lateral to mouth, longer than following ventral cirri, similar to but shorter than tentacular cirri (Figure 16A,B). Pharynx not extended (cut open), with 9 pairs of dark border papillae and 2 pairs of hooked jaws.
Parapodia biramous, with short notopodia rounded basally, with long projecting acicular process on lower side; neuropodia larger, subconical, with long presetal acicular lobe with terminal digitiform process and shorter triangular postsetal lobe (Figure 16E,F). Notosetae golden, relatively few, forming radiating bundle, much stouter than neurosetae, short to long, smooth; short notosetae slightly curved, with fine serrations on curved border (Figure 16E–G). Neurosetae very numerous, appearing as golden brush, very long, stout basally, tapering gradually to fine tips, with numerous spinous rows giving feathery appearance (Figure 16E,H). Dorsal cirri with cirrophores stout, cylindrical, with thick glandular areas basally on anterior and posterior sides; styles smooth, very long, extending far beyond neurosetae; dorsal tubercles nodular to digitiform (Figure 16F). Ventral cirri short, tapered, smooth (Figure 16E.F). Pygidium with dorsally corrugated anal tube between 3 posterior smaller segments, posterior dorsal opening, and pair of long anal cini (right one broken off).
DISTRIBUTION.—Southern Ocean, Scotia Sea; in 616–642 meters.
ETYMOLOGY.—The species is named for the collecting area of the Scotia Sea.
TYPE SPECIES.—Harmothoe spinosa Kinberg, 1856. Genden feminine.
DIAGNOSIS.—Segments up to 45. Elytra and elytrophores 15 pairs, on segments 2, 4, 5, 7, alternate segments to 23, 26, 29, and 32; elytra with microtubercles, with or without macrotubercles, with or without papillae. Dorsal cirri on segments lacking elytra, with cylindrical cirrophores and distal styles; nodular dorsal tubercle on cinigerous segments. Prostomium bilobed, with distinct cephalic peaks, 3 antennae, and paired palps; ceratophore of median antenna in anterior notch; lateral antennae with ceratophores inserted ventrally; usually with 2 pairs of eyes present Tentaculophores of first or tentacular segment lateral to prostomium, each with small acicular process, with or without few setae, and with pair of dorsal and ventral tentacular cirri. Second or buccal segment with first pair of elytrophores, biramous parapodia, and long ventral buccal cini lateral to mouth; pharynx with 9 pairs of border papillae and 2 pairs of hooked jaws. Parapodia biramous, both rami with elongate acicular processes; neuropodia usually with supraacicular digitiform process. Notosetae as stout as or stouter than neurosetae, with well-marked spinous rows and blunt to pointed tips. Neurosetae with elongate spinous regions and slightly hooked tips, at least some with secondary subterminal tooth. Ventral cirri short, tapered, on all segments. Pygidium with pair of anal cirri.
Seven species of Harmothoe are covered in this report, as indicated in the “Key to Species,” including the three additional species described by KinbeTg (1856, 1858) under his genus Antinoe and found to differ from A. microps, the type species of the genus designated by Hartman (1959:62). These types, deposited in the Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet, Stockholm (NRS), were examined and include the following species.
Antinoe pulchellus Kinberg, 1856, from the mouth of the La Plata River, Argentina. The syntypes were examined by Hartman (1949:25; 1959:62); she concluded that the species might “require a new generic category.” It is referred below to Harmothoe pulchella (Kinberg), new combination.
Antinoe waahli Kinberg, 1856, from Port Jackson, Australia. The species was referred to Harmothoe by Augener (1913:112; 1922:11), based on examination of the type. The type material from Australia is described below under H. waahli (Kinberg). Some of the specimens from western Australia that were referred to H. waahli by Augener (1913:112), and later by Monro (1938:614), were subsequently referred to H. praeclara (Haswell, 1883) by Augener (1922:14; 1924:285). Those specimens are described below under H. praeclara. A specimen from South Africa, identified as H. waahli by Monro (1933:489), is referred below to H. stephensoni, new species. Some specimens from Tahiti, referred to H. waahli by Monro (1939b: 171), are described below under H. tahitiensis, new species.
Antinoe aequiseta Kinberg, 1856, from Port Natal, South Africa. The holotype in the Swedish State Museum (NRS) now consists of a posterior end of 17 segments and is thus unsatisfactory. The original description and figures are deficient, particularly in regard to the elytra, which were evidently missing because they were not described or figured. It is considered to be an indeterminable Harmothoe sp. Based on material from “South-West” Africa, Augener (1918:137) referred the species to Harmothoe and included in its synonymy Parmenis capensis Willey (1904) from the Cape of Good Hope. Augener's specimens, deposited in the Hamburg Museum (ZMH 8730/8780), consist of fragments and appear to be a mixture of at least two species. Some of the specimens of H. aequiseta by Day (1953, 1960, 1967) from South Africa are described below under Harmothoe capensis (Willey), new combination, and H. discoveryae, new species.
- bibliographic citation
- Pettibone, Marian H. 1993. "Revision of some species referred to Antinoe, Antinoella, Antinoana, Bylgides, and Harmothoe (Polychaeta: Polynoidae: Harmothoinae)." Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology. 1-41. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00810282.545