Lanicides rubra, Nogueira, João Miguel Matos, Hutchings, Pat & Carrerette, Orlemir, 2015

Nogueira, João Miguel Matos, Hutchings, Pat & Carrerette, Orlemir, 2015, Terebellidae (Annelida, Terebelliformia) from Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, Zootaxa 4019 (1), pp. 484-576 : 527-529

Lanicides rubra n. sp.

( Figs 2 C–D, 28–29)

Type material. Holotype: AM W.44272, MI QLD 2344, complete, in two pieces, in excellent state of preservation, anterior piece 7 mm long, ~ 1.3 mm wide, with 19–20 segments, posterior piece ~ 20 mm long, with 2–3 thoracic segments, then abdominal. Paratype: AM W.47808, CReefs, LI–10–099, MI QLD 2220, Loomis Beach, 14°41'02"S, 145°27'01"E, intertidal.

Comparative material examined. Holotype of Lanicides bilobata ( Grube, 1878) , MNHU 898. Holotype of Lanicides fascia Hutchings & Glasby, 1988 , AM W. 200608. Holotype of Lanicides lacuna Hutchings & Glasby, 1988 , AM W. 200609. Paratypes of Lanicides lacuna , AM W. 200610 and AM W. 200611. Non-types of Lanicides lacuna , AM W. 200761, AM W. 200878, AM W. 200879, AM W. 200881. Paratypes of Lanicides tribranchiata Hutchings & Glasby, 1988 , MV F.52569, MV F.52571, MV F.52570, MV F.52572. Non-type of Lanicides tribranchiata , MV F.91050.

Description. In life, red body and buccal tentacles, irregularly speckled with numerous red granules ( Fig. 2 C– D). Transverse prostomium attached to dorsal surface of upper lip; basal part with broad, a continuous row of eyespots, mid-dorsal gap absent ( Figs 2 D; 28C, E, I–M). Short buccal tentacles, reaching around 1/3 of extension of region with notopodia ( Figs 2 C–D; 28A–M). Peristomium forming lips, hood-like upper lip, short, about as wide as long, circular; short and swollen lower lip, button-like ( Figs 2 D; 28D–E, K). Segment 1 narrow, with pair of short flaring lobes lateral to mouth, reaching level of lower lip and connected to each other by low ventral lobe marginal to mouth; anterior margins of anterior segments as protruding crests dorsally, segment 2 also with pair of short rounded ventro-lateral lobes connected to each other by mid-ventral crest; segment 3 with pair of low lateral lobes covering almost completely segment 2 laterally, rectangular lobes, dorsal and distal margins straight, dorsal margins aligned with dorsal edge of neuropodia, ventral margins oblique, terminating at mid-ventral shield; from segment 4, lobes absent ( Figs 2 C–D; 28A–M). Anterior segments slightly inflated dorsally. Paired dorso-lateral arborescent branchiae present on segments 2–3, dorsal to line of notopodia, with branchial filaments branching dichotomously in few levels from distinctly short basal stem; first pair longer, about half body width of segment 2, longitudinally aligned to second pair ( Figs 2 C–D; 28A–C, F–J, L–M). Mid-ventral shields present on segments 2– 22, rectangular to trapezoidal, about same size until segment 14, then progressively longer and narrower to last shield, corresponding to blood red ventral region in live specimens ( Fig. 2 C); anterior shields smooth to slightly corrugated, deeply corrugated from segment 11 to last shield ( Fig. 28 D–E, K, N). Notopodia beginning on segment 4, extending until segment 22; short, rectangular notopodia, first pair shorter, those of segments 4–6 inserted progressively more laterally, then longitudinally aligned ( Fig. 28 A–M). Notochaetae throughout medially winged and finely serrated distally in anterior row, posterior row with broadly-winged chaetae, wings broader on one side, geniculate basally and rounded, chaetae of posterior row with wings only at tips ( Fig. 29 A–F). Neuropodia present from segment 5, as low, almost sessile ridges throughout ( Fig. 28 A– O). Neurochaetae of segments 5 and 6 heavily chitinized, darker than those of following segments, with well developed handles originating from most of base, crest with 4 transverse rows of secondary teeth, remarkably rounded prow and dorsal button modified in spatulate, distally rounded process ( Figs 28 P; 29G); from segment 7, short-handled uncini, with 3 rows of secondary teeth and short dorsal button; uncini in completely intercalated double rows from segment 11 to termination of notopodia, on segment 22; from segment 23, uncini in single rows, with thin posterior ligaments and crest with 4 teeth on mid-body, 5 rows on posterior neuropodia ( Fig. 29 H–L). Large nephridial papillae on segment 3, between bases of branchiae and dorsal margins of lobes, other papillae not visible. Pygidium with minute papillae ( Fig. 28 O).

Remarks. Lanicides rubra n. sp. is characterized by the presence of a conspicuous row of prostomial eyespots, extending across the entire prostomium; short ventral lobes on segment 1, just around the mouth, ventro-lateral lobes on segment 2, and low, rectangular lobes on segment 3, with straight dorsal and distal margins; 2 pairs of short branchiae, with few levels of dichotomous branching, all branchial filaments about same width, without conspicuous secondary stems; notopodia throughout with medially winged and finely serrated distally chaetae in anterior row, and geniculate, broadly-winged notochaetae in posterior row; heavily chitinized, dark uncini on segments 5 and 6, with well developed handles originating from most of the base and dorsal buttons forming rather unusual spatulate process; and nephridial and genital papillae only conspicuous on segment 3.

Only three other Australian species of Lanicides have heavily chitinized uncini on anterior segments, L. physa Hutchings, 1993 described from Rottnest Island in SW WA, L. lacuna Hutchings & Glasby, 1988 from One Tree Island, GBR, and L. tribranchiata Hutchings & Glasby, 1988 from Solitary Islands, NSW.

Lanicides physa differs from L. rubra n. sp. in lacking prostomial eyespots and in having larger lobes of segment 1, lacking lobes on segment 2, and with a dorsal lobe on segment 4, indented mid-dorsally, forming paired triangular lappets near dorsal mid-line, which are absent in L. rubra n. sp. In addition, the notochaetae of members of L. physa are distally winged in both rows, the dorsal buttons of the long-handled uncini do not form the spatulated process as found in L. rubra n. sp., and genital papillae are conspicuous on segments 5–11 ( Hutchings 1993).

Lanicides lacuna also lacks prostomial eyespots and has lobes on segment 1 larger than those present on L. rubra n. sp. The branchiae are longer in L. lacuna , branching into several secondary stems, each further branching for several levels and terminating with relatively long branchial filaments. The long-handled uncini have dorsal button as compact cushion of bristles around beak of main fang, and nephridial and genital papillae are conspicuous on segments 4–8, which is different from L. rubra n. sp., in which papillae are only conspicuous on segment 3.

Lanicides tribranchiata is another species which lacks prostomial eyespots and, in addition, it also differs from L. rubra n. sp. in having a pair of larger lobes on segment 1, directed anteriorly and covering the upper lip, indented mid-ventrally to partially expose the lower lip, together with distally rounded lobes of segment 3; 3 pairs of branchiae with conspicuous secondary stems; and long-handled uncini with dorsal button as compact cushion of bristles around beak of main fang.

Etymology. We name this species after the red colour of living specimens ( Fig. 2 C–D), from the Latin word “ rubra ” = red.

Type locality. South of lagoon entrance, reef near Bird Islet, 14°41'38"S, 145°27'56"E, Lizard Island, GBR, Australia.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Live specimens. A – B. Pista kristiani n. sp. AM W. 45451, MI QLD 2445; C – D. Lanicides rubra n. sp. AM W. 44272, MI QLD 2344; E – G. Eupolymnia chlorobranchiata n. sp. AM W. 45455, MI QLD 2446; H – I. Pistella franciscana n. sp. H. Discarded specimen; I. AM W. 44593, MI QLD 2394; J – L. Loimia tuberculata n. sp; J – K. Spec. AM W. 44280, MI QLD 2359; L. Discarded specimen. Photos: A – K—Alexander Semenov, L—Gary Cranitch.

FIGURE 28. Lanicides rubra n. sp. AM W. 44272: A – B, Entire worm, right and left lateral views, respectively; C – I. Anterior end in progressively higher magnifications, dorsal, ventral, left and right lateral views, respectively; J – M. Close ups of the anterior end, left lateral, ventral, right lateral and dorsal views, respectively; N. Transition between anterior and posterior body; O. Posterior end, right dorso-lateral view; P. Anterior uncini, segment 5; arrows point to spatulate dorsal buttons. Numbers refer to segments. Abbreviations: ll = lower lip; P = basal part of prostomium; ul = upper lip; * = distal part of prostomium. Scale bars: A – B = 1 mm, C = 0.5 mm, D, F, H, = 0.6 mm, E, G, I, O = 0.4 mm, J – N = 0.3 mm, P = 30 µm.

FIGURE 29. Lanicides rubra n. sp. AM W. 44272: A – B. Notochaetae, segments 5 and 6, respectively; C – F. Notochaetae, segment 20 under higher magnifications, general and chaetae from anterior (2) and posterior rows, respectively; G – J. Uncini, segments 6, 7, 24, 20, respectively; arrows point to spatulate dorsal buttons; K – L. Posterior uncini; arrow points to pigment granule. Scale bars: A – B, D, F = 30 µm, C = 20 µm, E, G – J = 20 µm, K = 5 Μm, L = 10 Μm.