Leocrates claparedii, : Fauvel, 1923

Salazar-Vallejo, Sergio I., 2020, Revision of Leocrates Kinberg, 1866 and Leocratides Ehlers, 1908 (Annelida, Errantia, Hesionidae), Zootaxa 4739 (1), pp. 1-114 : 53-55

Leocrates claparedii (Costa in Claparède, 1868)

Figs 2 A–C, 28

Tyrrhena claparedii Costa in Claparède, 1868: 538–541, Pl. 18, Fig. 3 (plate never published).

Leocrates chinensis: Pettibone 1970: 214 , Figs 12–13 (partim, Figs 12–13 , non Kinberg, 1866).

Leocrates claparedii: Fauvel 1923:237–238 , Fig. 88i–n; Tebble 1955: 87–88; Fauvel & Rullier 1959a: 513; 1959b: 158; Kirkegaard 1983: 214; Parapar et al. 2004: 221–223, Fig. 79 (redescr.); Parry et al. 2017: 224, Fig. 2C (peristomial middorsal tubercle indicated as median antenna).

Non-type material. Mediterranean Sea. Naples. One specimen ( MCZ ANNa 588), purchased from the Naples Zoological Station, no further data [25 mm long, 3 mm wide]. Two specimens ( USNM 5131), purchased from the Stazione Zoologica di Napoli, 1893 [used for description]. Croatia. One specimen ( MMS HESI 6), Rovigno d’Istria, no further data [32 mm long, 4.5 mm wide]. Western Africa. Two specimens ( NHMD 237479), Dakar, Senegal, rocky coast, 7 Jan. 1928, H. Madsen, coll. [25–28 mm long, 2–3 mm wide].

Description. Non-type specimens (USNM 5131) complete, larger one slightly damaged, many cirri missing, with posterior end collapsed by compression, probably after being depressed by labels; some parapodia previously removed (kept in container); both specimens previously pricked middorsally in an anterior chaetiger. Body pale, 25–29 mm long, 2.5–3.0 mm wide; both specimens with pharynx partially ( Fig. 28A ) or fully exposed ( Fig. 28D ).

Prostomium slightly wider than long ( Fig. 28B ), or as long as wide ( Fig. 28E ), slightly wider anteriorly, lateral margins straight. Lateral antennae with ceratophores distinct, lateral antennae longer than prostomium, slightly longer than palps. Palpophores 3–4 times longer than palpostyles; median antenna short, inserted between posterior eyes, reaching prostomial centre.

Eyes small, brownish, anterior ones each 1 / 12 prostomial width, slightly larger, slightly emarginate to reniform than posterior round smaller ones.

Nuchal organs lobes almost completely covered by anterior margin of tentacular belt, barely projected posteriorly. Tentacular cirri damaged or broken, largest specimen with tentacular cirri reaching chaetiger 5. Lateral cushions low, entire or divided into two sections, longitudinal striae visible.

Basal ring with middorsal tubercle widened basally, tapered into a blunt tip, or damaged; dorsolateral tubercles not seen. Ventrolateral tubercles barely visible. Pharynx partially everted, divided into two rings; one specimen with one left lateral vesicle, the other without vesicles; jaws exposed, upper jaw scimitar-like, lower jaw smaller.Anterior margin smooth or with about 20 irregular constrictions. Jaws single, brownish, upper jaw slightly larger and inserted ahead of ventral jaw.

Dorsal cirri broken, shorter than body width (excluding parapodia). Chaetigers 1–4 without notochaetae; notochaetae present along chaetigers 5–16, about 30 per bundle, sometimes expanded as a fan, most broken. Notacicular lobes tapered; neuracicular lobes round, truncate, as long as wide. Ventral cirri reaching or surpassing neurochaetal lobe ( Fig. 28C, F ). Neurochaetae about 20 per bundle, bidentate, guards approaching subdistal tooth, blades 2–8 times longer than wide, guards approaching subdistal tooth ( Fig. 28C , inset, F, insets).

Posterior end tapered into a blunt cone; prepygidial segment (in other specimens) with dorsal cirri 4–5 longer than ventral ones; anal cirri without tips, reaching chaetiger 13.

Oocytes not seen.

Remarks. Leocrates claparedii (Costa in Claparède, 1868) resembles L. giardi Gravier, 1900 from the Red Sea because both have prostomia wider anteriorly, notacicular lobes tapered, and middle chaetigers with about 20–30 neurochaetae per bundle. These two species differ especially regarding the shape of notacicular and neuracicular lobes, and by the relative length of neurochaetal blades. In L. claparedii notacicular lobes are blunt, neuracicular ones are wider than long, and neurochaetal blades are 2–8 times longer than wide, whereas in L. giardi notacicular lobes are tapered, neuracicular ones are as long as wide, and blades are 3–10 times longer than wide.

The description of L. claparedii did not indicate the type locality, but Claparède (1868: 537, footnote) explained the name for the genus, Tyrrhena , was “d’après la mer Tyrrhénienne qu’habite l’espèce-type”. Despite the lack of precision for the type locality, it should be the Gulf of Naples. Previous publications by Oronzio Gabriele Costa (1787–1867), and his son, Achille Costa (1823–1898), the latter supposed to fully describe the species ( Claparède 1868: 538), and even the corresponding monograph by Claparède himself (1868) were made after his research visits in Naples.

Pettibone (1970:215) listed L. claparedii as a junior synonym of L. chinensis Kinberg, 1866 , from Hong Kong, but they differ as indicated elsewhere ( Wang et al. 2018). It must be emphasized that L. claparedii was described from the Mediterranean, and Fauvel (1923) documented it. Further, against the synonymy by Pettibone, Kirkegaard (1983: 214) reinstated it. Parapar et al. (2004) redescribed the species and provided camara lucida illustrations for the diagnostic features. During the development of this revision, a short visit was made to the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn in Naples to have a better idea of their collection, but it was under reconstruction, and no specimens were available. However, because the species is currently well-understood, and has been properly and recently illustrated, there is no need for proposing a neotype.

Distribution. Mediterranean Sea to Northwestern Africa, in shallow water rocky or mixed bottoms.

There are many records for this Mediterranean species for other localities, such as the Indian Ocean by Fauvel (1927: 417; 1930: 12–13; 1953b: 106–107, Fig. 50 c–g; 1957b: 4), Monro (1939: 392), Day (1951: 21; 1967: 230, Fig. 11.2g–k), Fishelson & Rullier (1969: 59), Mohammad (1972: 555), and Amoureux (1974c: 435). Likewise, for the Western Pacific by Fauvel (1935: 296-297; 1937: 60; 1939: 285; 1947a: 31–32, Fig. 28 a–d), Monro (1939: 392), and Rullier (1972: 58), or even for the Western Atlantic by Rullier & Amoureux (1979: 159). Because their specimens were not available, their identity cannot be confirmed.

Figures

FIGURE 2. A. Leocrates claparedii (Costa in Claparède, 1868), non-type specimens (USNM 5131), anterior end, dorsal view, pharynx everted. B. Another specimen, anterior end, dorsal view, pharynx fully everted. C. Same, pharynx and jaws, left lateral view (1: Pharynx ring I, 2: Pharynx ring II, AM: anterior margin, DT: dorsolateral tubercle, LJ: lower jaw, LV: lateral vesicle, Pe: peristomium, TB: tentacular belt, UJ: upper jaw). D. Lamprophaea poupini n. sp., holotype (UF 858), anterior end, right lateral view, after SAS (1–8: tentacular cirri, Ch: chaetiger, LA: lateral antenna, NO: nuchal organ lobe, Pa: palp, TB: tentacular belt). Scale bars: A, C: 0.5 mm, B: 0.7 mm, D: 0.3 mm.

FIGURE 3. Lamprophaea longicirrata (Treadwell, 1902), new combination, non-type specimens, Florida (ECOSUR 3075), prostomia, dorsal view. A. Smallest specimen, 13x2 mm. B. Medium-sized specimen, 32x3.5 mm. C. Large specimen, pharynx slightly exposed, 32x4 mm. D. Small specimen, pharynx exposed, 20x3 mm. Scale bars: A: 0.25 mm, B–C: 0.4 mm, D: 0.30 mm.

FIGURE 12. Dalhousia indica (Horst, 1921) new combination, reinstated, non-type specimen (MNHN Halipro 2-83). A. Anterior region, dorsal view. B. Anterior end, dorsal view. C. Anterior end, ventral view. D. Chaetiger 8, right parapodium, anterior view. E. Same, neurochaetae (insets: upper and middle neurochaetal blades). Scale bars: A: 1.7 mm, B: 0.9 mm, C: 0.7 mm, D: 0.4 mm, E: 0.3 mm.

FIGURE 13. Lamprophaea aurita (Hessle, 1925), new combination, reinstated, holotype (UUZM 626). A. Anterior region, dorsal view. B. Anterior end and pharynx everted, dorsal view. C. Pharynx, oblique ventral view, upper jaw visible. D. Chaetiger 8, left parapodium, anterior view (inset: notacicular lobe). E. Same, notochaetae distal regions. F. Three neurochaetal blades (insets: close-ups of two chaetal blade tips). Scale bars: A: 1.7 mm, B: 0.6 mm, C: 0.5 mm, D: 0.9 mm, E: 70 µm, F: 80 µm.

FIGURE 28. Leocrates claparedii (Costa in Claparède, 1868), non-type specimens (USNM 5131). A. Shortest specimen, anterior region, dorsal view, MGS. B. Same, anterior end, dorsal view. C. Chaetiger 8, right parapodium, anterior view (inset: lower neurochaetal blade). D. Longest specimen, anterior region, dorsal view, MGS (*: left lateral vesicle). E. Same, anterior end, dorsal view (*: left lateral vesicle). F. Chaetiger 8 or 9, right parapodium, anterior view (insets: notacicular lobe, longer and shorter neurochaetal blades). Scale bars: A, D: 1.6 mm, B: 0.7 mm, C, F: 0.5 mm, E: 0.8 mm.

FIGURE 50. Paradalhousia oculata (Treadwell, 1906), new combination, reinstated, non-type specimen (AMNH 476). A. Dorsal view. B. Anterior region, dorsal view (*: left dorsolateral tubercle). C. Anterior region, oblique left lateral view (*: left dorsolateral tubercles). Scale bars: A: 1.7 mm, B, C: 0.4 mm (photos: V.M. Conde-Vela).