Questa caudicirra Hartman, 1966

Núñez, Jorge & Martínez, Alejandro, 2023, Two new species and records of the genus Questa (Annelida: Orbiniidae) from Azores and Canary Islands, Central Atlantic Ocean, Zootaxa 5319 (3), pp. 403-412 : 410

Questa caudicirra Hartman, 1966

Figure 5

Questa caudicirra Hartman, 1966 . Fig 4 : 197–198. Delgado & Núñez,1993 –1994. Figs 1–5 : 272–277; Riera et al. 2016: 212 (Table 5).

Material examined. Canary Islands, Tenerife, Playa San Juan, DBAULL-M221, Los Cerebros, submarine cave, 28º10.34’N 16º48.41’W, muddy sandy substrate, 15 m, 21-02-2003, 2 specimens; DBULL-M222 , Los Cerebros, 28º10.34’N 16º48.41’W, muddy sandy substrate, 15 m , 21-10-2003, 12 specimens. Azores, S „o Miguel. - 13 AZSM, Porto da Caloura , TFMCBM-AN/257, 37º42.76’N 25º29.71’W, fine volcanic sand substrate, 17 m, 22-07-01 , 1 specimen; DBAULL-16 AZSM, Os Mosteiros , 37º53.57’N 25º49.01’W, gravel patch in rocky cervices, 3 m ., 24-07- 01, 2 specimens; 20 AZSM, Ilhéu de Vila Franca, TFMCBM-AN/258, 37º42.42’N 25º26.54’W, fine sand substrate with mud, 15 m , 26-07-2001, 2 specimens. Coll. J. Núñez.

Diagnosis. Threadlike body, 5–6.5 mm long and 0.2–0.3 mm wide measured in the third chaetiger, with about 48–56 chaetigers. Prostomium conical, without eyes or appendages ( Fig. 5A ). Peristomium biannulate ( Fig. 5A ); parapodia biramous with 2–7 capillary chaetae on each rami and at least 1 bidentate hook ( Fig. 5C ). Up to 15 pairs of branchiae posteriorly, consisting of simple cirriform appendages increasing in length towards the pygidium ( Fig. 5B ). Pygidium with two pairs of short anal cirrus (dorsal and ventral). Segments modified at sexual maturity all have at least one type of chaetae (capillaries, hooks, or both), including chaetigers 12–14. Two oocytes recorded in chaetigers 10–13 of mature females ( Fig. 5A ), and in anterior chaetigers 6–11 masses of glandular tissue ( Fig. 5A ); males have chaetae reduced in size in chaetigers 12–13, with a slit-like dorsal fold.

Distribution. West coast of North America (California, British Columbia), Gulf of Mexico (west coast of Florida) ( Giere & Erséus, 1998). Mediterranean Sea ( Somaschini & Gravina, 1993) and Macaronesian region (Azores and Canary Islands). The species is recorded for the first time from the Azores.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Questa manuelgerardi sp. n. SEM micrographs: A. Anterior end, lateral view; B. Anterior end, ventral view with buccal pad; C. Chaetigers, middle region; D. Posterior end, dorsal view. Abbreviations: bh, bidentate hook, cc capillary pinnate chaeta, ch1 chaetiger 1, ch5 chaetiger 5, mo mouth, no nuchal organ, nr neurochaeta, nt notochaeta, pa parapodium, pc pygidial cirri, pe peristomium, pr prostomium, py pygidium.

FIGURE 2. Questa manuelgerardi sp. n. SEM micrographs: A. Capillary pinnate chaeta; B. Chaetal bundle, bidentate hooks and capillary chaetae; C. Bidentate hook; D. Posterior end, lateral view. Abbreviations: at apical tooth, lg subdental ligament, mt main tooth.

FIGURE 3. Questa ericnunezi sp. n. SEM micrographs: A. Complete specimen, dorsal view; B. Anterior end, dorsal view; C. Dorsal fold; D. Posterior end with branchiae, dorsal view.Abbreviations: an anus, br branchia, cc capillary chaeta, ch1, chaetiger 1, df dorsal fold, no nuchal organ, nr neurochaeta, nt notochaeta, pc pygidial cirri, pe peristomium, pr prostomium.

FIGURE 4. Questa ericnunezi sp. n. SEM micrographs: A. Chaetiger with branchiae, dorso-lateral view; B. Tridentate furcate chaetae; C. Detail of two furcate chaeta; D. Hooks with subdental ligament; E. Chaetal bundle, with capillary pinnate, tridentate furcate and hook chaetae; F. Capillary pinnate chaetae. Abbreviations: at apical tooth, br branchia, lg subdental ligament, mt main tooth.

FIGURE 5. Questa caudicirra. Camera lucida drawings, modified from Delgado & Núñez 1993–1994:A.Anterior end, ventral view female; B. Posterior end, lateral view; C. Bidentate hook. Abbreviations: gt glandular tissue, oc oocytes.