Syllis jaylani, Sedick & Simon, 2019

Sedick, Safiyya & Simon, Carol, 2019, Three new species of Syllis Savigny in Lamarck, 1818 (Annelida: Syllidae) from the south coast of South Africa, Zootaxa 4688 (4), pp. 585-598 : 588-589

Syllis jaylani sp. nov.

( Figures 3A and 4)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5E98C6E6-76D6-45BF-95D8-499B283246A6

Material examined. 17 specimens. Mossel Bay (34°11’6.396”S; 22°9’34.649”E), South Africa, algal turf, lower intertidal, rocky shore); S. Sedick, coll., October 2015, Holotype ( SAMC-A089055 ) and four Paratypes (SAMC- A089056), plus slides of anterior, midbody and posterior parapodia. Additional material examined. Same data as for holotype and paratypes; eight complete and 4 incomplete specimens ( SAMC-A089056 ) .

Description. Holotype 4 mm long, 0.4 mm wide, for 53 chaetigers (additional material 3–7 mm for 48–58 chaetigers). Body yellowish, translucent, without colour pattern in live and preserved specimens ( Figs 3A); subcylindrical in cross section, midbody and posterior body slightly wider than anterior body, tapered at pygidium. Prostomium oval ( Fig. 3A); two pairs of round red eyes, equal in size, in trapezoidal arrangement ( Figs 3A, 4A). Two smaller eyespots sometimes on anteriormost region of prostomium, well in front of anterior eyes. Median antenna longer than palps and prostomium together, originating between posterior pair of eyes ( Fig. 4A), with 16–23 articles. Lateral antennae shorter than median antenna but longer than prostomium, originating in front of anterior pair of eyes, with 8–18 articles ( Fig. 4A). Palps triangular, longer than broad, basally fused, slightly longer than prostomium. Peristomium similar in length to subsequent chaetigers; dorsal tentacular cirri with 11–21 articles, ventral tentacular cirri with 8–25 ( Fig. 4A). Dorsal cirri subequal to body width or slightly longer; 12–20 articles in anterior segments, up to 30 in larger specimens; 19–25 articles in midbody, up to 30 in largest specimens; in holotype first three pairs with 19 & 19, 15 & 16, and 15 & 13 articles on left and right parapodia of chaetigers 1 to 3, respectively; up to 18 articles in midbody cirri in most (8–30 in some specimens). Ventral cirri shorter than parapodial lobes, digitiform. Parapodia broadly conical, at times appearing slightly raised on one side. Anterior parapodia with 7–12 compound chaetae, 6–10 on midbody parapodia, 4–8 on posterior parapodia. Compound heterogomph bidentate falcigers throughout, with both teeth perpendicular or at an angle to main shaft, proximal tooth subequal to distal tooth anteriorly, becoming progressively shorter than distal tooth in mid- and posterior body ( Figs 4B, D, F). Dorso-ventral gradation in length of blades; 38 µm to 26 µm in anterior, 43 µm to 33 µm in midbody; 26 µm to 23 µm posterior. Teeth on falciger blades fine to moderately fine becoming longer toward the end of the blade. Longer falciger blades on anterior body may have shorter teeth. One or two pseudo-simple chaetae by loss of blades and enlargement of shafts per parapodium on anterior and midbody parapodia, similar to falciger shafts, sub-distally broad, tapering to rounded pointed, or sub-distally narrow, tapering into sharper point, short spines on outer margin edge ( Fig. 4C, E). Solitary dorsal capillary simple chaetae on posterior parapodia, straight, thin, pointed ( Fig. 4G 1). Solitary ventral capillary simple chaetae thin, sinuose, bidentate with serrated inner edge ( Fig. 4G 2), on posterior-most parapodia. Up to three or four aciculae on each parapodium in anterior body, of several types: almost club- shaped ( Fig. 4H 1), distally rounded ( Fig. 4H 2, 3), acuminate ( Fig. 4H 4), distally bent at an angle ( Fig. 4H 5), and sub-distally rounded ( Fig. 4H 6, 7). Two to three aciculae in each midbody parapodium; broad, sub-distally rounded ( Fig. 4I 1) or acuminate, angled on one side ( Fig. 4I 2). One or two aciculae posteriorly, of four types; acuminate, narrow point ( Fig. 4J 1) or rounded point ( Fig. 4J 2, 3, 4). Pharynx extending through 6–8 chaetigers (10–12 in larger individuals), mid-dorsal conical tooth inserted well back from anterior margin ( Fig. 4A). Proventricle extends through 7–10 chaetigers, with 37 muscle cell rows ( Fig. 4A). Two anal cirri, with 7–14 articles. Pygidium rounded with no median stylus.

Habitat. Algal turf, lower intertidal, rocky shore.

Distribution. Mossel Bay, South Africa.

Etymology. This species is named after Ayesha Jaylani, the late grandmother of the primary author.