Kirkegaardia tesselata (Hartman, 1960) new combination

Figure 26A–B

Tharyx tesselata Hartman, 1960: 126 –127, pl. 11, figs. 1–4; 1961: 113: 1963: 53–54; 1969: 267–268, figs. 1–4. Monticellina tesselata: Blake 1996: 328 -329, figs. 8.27A–F; Imajima 1997: 198; 2001: 80–81; 2009: 122.

Material examined. California, Western Santa Barbara Channel, MMS Phase I Sta. 0 86, 0 5 Nov 1983, 34°24.45′N, 120°17.02′W, 197 m, 1 specimen (LACM-AHF Poly 8942).— West of Point Conception, MMS Phase I Sta. 0 73, 0 3 Nov 1983, 34°28.21′N, 120°36.80′W, 98 m, 1 specimen (LACM-AHF Poly 8943).— off Half Moon Bay, Sta. 2-5, R/ V Point Sur , USEPA 102 Site Selection survey, Sta. 2-5, 37°27.96′N; 122°45.73′W, 83 m, 23 Sep 1991, coll. J.A. Blake, Chief Scientist, 1 specimen (LACM-AHF Poly 8936).

Remarks. These three well-preserved specimens agree well with the redescription of the species by Blake (1996). The two MMS Phase I specimens are from the same collections that were the basis of the MMS Taxonomic Atlas project, but were not included in the original materials examined by Blake (1996). The specimen from off Half Moon Bay confirms that the range of the species extends into northern California .

Kirkegaardia tesselata was the first cirratulid to be reported with tattered or tessellated tubes where a thick membranous material covers the worm and has lateral extensions through which groups of branchiae project (Hartman 1960; Blake 1996). The specimen from Sta. 2-5 is an exceptionally good example of this. It is important to note that the tube material of K. tesselata is soft, pliable (Fig. 26A) and easily removed. In contrast, the tube material described earlier in this paper for K. neotesselata n. sp. from off New England and Kirkegaardia sp. A from the Mediterranean Sea is different in that it is hardened and of a tough texture making it difficult to remove from the worms without considerable damage. Further, the worms themselves are distorted by the closely adhering tube upon preservation (see Fig. 15 A–C for K. neotesselata n. sp. and Fig. 15 D for Kirkegaardia sp. A). Specimens of K. tesselata are not distorted after preservation and removal from their tubes (Fig. 26B). Other species reported with soft-textured tessellated tubes in this study similar to K. tesselata are K. antonbruunae n. sp., K. baptisteae, K. carolina n. sp., K. dutchae n. sp., and K. fragilis n. sp. It is likely that other species of Kirkegaardia have tubes of this nature, but are not yet reported. In agreement with Blake (1996), none of these three specimens of K. tesselata retained any MG.

Records of Monticellina tesselata from deep-water in the Gulf of California, Mexico by Méndez (2007) are considerably deeper than previously recorded for the species and need to be re-examined. Records from Japan by Imajima (1997, 2001, and 2009) are likely valid, but given the results of this study, should also be re-examined.

Distribution. Off California in shelf and upper slope depths, 70– 550 m.