Syllides spinosus Hartmann-Schröder, 1979

San Martin, G & Hutchings, PA, 2006, Eusyllinae (Polychaeta: Syllidae) from Australia with the Description of a New Genus and Fifteen New Species, Records of the Australian Museum 58, pp. 257-370 : 362-363

Syllides spinosus Hartmann-Schröder, 1979

Fig. 89A–C

Syllides articulosus spinosus Hartmann-Schröder, 1979: 99 , figs 126–128; 1981: 34; 1991: 37.

Material examined. AUSTRALIA: NEW SOUTH WALES: NE corner of Clark Is., 33°51.85'S 151°14.47'E, encrustation on outside of bottle, 5 m, coll. P.A. Hutchings, 17 Apr 1996, 2 ( AM W26322) . WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Exmouth, Tantabiddy Creek , 21.56°S 113°58'E, medium sand, intertidal, coll. G. Hartmann-Schröder, 1 ( HZM P-16907) .

Description. Body 2.2 mm long, 0.3 wide mm with 30 chaetigers. Dorsal cirri long, with hyaline vacuoles on most articles ( Fig. 89A). Tufts of cilia in front of each anterior eyespot. Ciliary bands on dorsum of each segment ( Fig. 89A). Parapodia with about 5 compound chaetae, relatively long blades, bidentate, both teeth distinctly separated, with short spines on margin; blades of 2 medium length Remarks. The long, basal spurs on medium-length blades of compound chaetae have not previously been described. This character is considered to be a useful character to distinguish between species in this genus. Syllides bansei Perkins, 1981 , has similar compound chaetae, but the dorsal simple chaetae differ in having a distal hood ( Perkins, 1981). Syllides edentatus Westheide, 1974 , also has a similar arrangement of chaetae, but the pair of the medium size chaetae have several long spines instead of a single basal spur as occurs in Syllides spinosus ( Westheide, 1974; San Martín, 2003). Syllides benedicti Banse, 1972 , also has a single long basal spur on the pair of medium-length bladed chaetae, but the dorsal simple chaetae are distally rounded, with some spines present in addition to the spines on margin ( Banse, 1972). For a discussion of the differences between the stem species S. articulosus and S. spinosus see Hartmann-Schröder, 1979; furthermore, S. articulosus lacks long basal spurs on any blade ( Somaschini & San Martín, 1997).

Habitat. Occurring in coarse and medium sand, on encrustations, from intertidal to shallow depths.

Distribution. Australia (Western Australia, Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales).