Lanicides Hessle, 1917

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 : 525-526

Genus Lanicides Hessle, 1917

Lanicides . — Hutchings & Glasby 1988: 20.

Type-species. Terebella (Phyzelia) bilobata Grube, 1878 , by original designation (see Nogueira et al. 2011, for the problems with the type species of this genus and the consequent issues for the diagnosis).

Diagnosis. Transverse prostomium attached to dorsal surface of upper lip; basal part sometimes with eyespots; distal part shelf-like. Buccal tentacles all similar, except in length. Peristomium forming lips; hood-like upper lip; small, swollen lower lip, restricted to oral area. Segment 1 reduced dorsally, with lobes of variable size and position. Lobes of variable size and position present on segments 2 and 3. Paired dorso-lateral arborescent or plumous branchiae present from segment 2, 2 or 3 pairs. Anterior segments with glandular, rectangular to trapezoidal, smooth to corrugated mid-ventral shields; mid-ventral groove extending posteriorly from termination of mid-ventral shields. Short and conical notopodia beginning from segment 4, extending for variable number of segments. Notochaetae distally winged or serrated, the latter with wings at mid-length followed by finely serrated tip. Neuropodia present from segment 5, as low ridges throughout or only until termination of notopodia, as low pinnules thereafter. Neurochaetae throughout as avicular uncini, arranged in partially to completely intercalated double rows from segment 11 until termination of notopodia; some anterior segments with long-handled uncini; with dorsal button at mid-length of base, conspicuous at least until termination of notopodia, and crest with several transverse rows of secondary teeth. Nephridial and genital papillae usually poorly developed, almost inconspicuous, of variable position and distribution. Pygidium smooth to slightly crenulate ( Hutchings & Glasby 1988). Tube unknown.

Remarks. Species of Lanicides differ in characters which usually are not variable within other genera of Terebellidae , such as the number of pairs of notopodia and types of notochaetae present. Especially in regards to this latter character, the type species, L. bilobata ( Grube, 1878) has winged chaetae throughout, in both rows of notochaetae, while several species also have medially winged and distally serrated notochaetae at least on some region of the body.

Anterior neuropodia bear long-handled uncini in all species of Lanicides , but most species have anterior uncini with thin and poorly developed handles, originating only from the uncinial heel, such as in L. bilobata , while a few others have heavily chitinized uncini on anterior neuropodia, with well developed handles originating from most of the base, as the new species described herein.

The diagnoses of Pista , Lanicides and Longicarpus Hutchings & Murray, 1984 overlap and the distinction between these genera is very subtle. Members of species of all these genera have lobes on anterior segments, branching branchiae and long-handled uncini at least in some anterior neuropodia. The differences between these genera lie in the type of notochaetae present and the neuropodia after termination of notopodia being as low ridges or pinnules. Notochaetae are all distally winged in Pista and some species of Lanicides , including the type species, L. bilobata ; all medially winged and distally serrated among members of Longicarpus , while both types, distally winged, and medially winged and distally serrated notochaetae, are usually found among species of Lanicides . A revision of this entire group is urgently needed to determine which of the genera are valid, but that is beyond the scope of this paper.

Lanicides is well represented in Australian waters with six known species, L. attenuata Hutchings & Glasby, 1990 , L. banatawa Hutchings, 1997b , L. fascia Hutchings & Glasby, 1988 , L. lacuna Hutchings & Glasby, 1988 , L. physa Hutchings, 1993 , and L. tribranchiata Hutchings & Glasby, 1988 . Of those, only L. lacuna has been previously found in the southern GBR, at One Tree Island. In the present paper, we describe another species from the GBR and this represents the first record of the genus from Lizard Island.