Autolytus smittiae Malaquin, 1893

Nygren, Arne, 2004, Revision of Autolytinae (Syllidae: Polychaeta)., Zootaxa 680, pp. 1-314 : 192-193

Autolytus smittiae Malaquin, 1893

Autolytus smittiae Malaquin, 1893: 81 , pl. 11, fig. 15, 16; Fauvel 1923: 321, fig. 123L; Hartmann­ Schröder 1971: 178.

Description. Types do not exist. Autolytus smittiae is described as follows: length 15–20 mm for 120 segments, colour intense red, unequal short cirri, 4 aciculae in anterior chaetigers, ordinary chaetae, convoluted pharynx, trepan with 32 teeth, proventricle with 35 rows of muscle cells, anal cirri voluminous.

Habitat. Found together with the red bryozoan S mittia landsbrownii .

Distribution. North East Atlantic.

Remarks. Malaquin's species is dubious, and it has never been recaptured. The characteristic red colour probably comes from its food source, in this case Smittia landsbrownii , and other characters are too general for A. smittiae to be separated from other taxa.