Paraeupolymnia garciagomezi, Londoño-Mesa, Mario H., 2006

Londoño-Mesa, Mario H., 2006, Revision of Paraeupolymnia, and redescription of Nicolea uspiana comb. nov. (Terebellidae: Polychaeta), Zootaxa 1117, pp. 21-35 : 30-31

Paraeupolymnia garciagomezi sp. nov.

Figure 2 A–F

Material examined: Type material: Holotype: UMML 0 0 0 0, Paratypes: UMML 22.874 (19) ECOSUR 0 0 58 (4) Card Sound, Florida Key (25°22N 80°17W), 30.XII.1970, collected by Julio García­Gómez, 25 m depth (under the registration number SV5.30. XII.1970).

Etymology: This species is dedicated to Julio García­Gómez, a passionate, retired invertebrate zoologist, from RSMAS, University of Miami. He has collected and offered me and many other colleagues his important polychaete collections, including this new species.

Description: Complete, 94 segments; 44 mm long, thorax 12 mm long and 3 mm wide ( Fig. 2 A–C). Some tentacles present, smooth. Thorax with numerous dorsal tubercles, not covering intersegmental lines, on segments 2–14, posteriorly only located laterally near the notopodia. Tubercles arranged in 2–3 irregular transverse rows, not paired nor alternating in position; each tubercle rounded or square, all about same size ( Fig. 2 B, C). Tentacular membrane short, with prominent ridges, eyespots absent. Upper lip folded, short, projected forwards. Lower lip as a short membrane projected ventrally, with longitudinal crenulations. Segment one well developed latero­ventrally, surrounding the tentacular membrane laterally, and the lower lip ventrally; dorsally shorter. Fifteen ventral shields from segment 2; those of segments 2 and 3 swollen and fused. The following ones distinct, wider and decreasing in size. One pair of lateral lappets belonging to segment 2 latero­ventrally, and to segment 3 latero­dorsally; oblique to body axis, projected forwards; dorsal edge rounded, projected dorsally, and longer than ventral edge; ventrally attached to the first ventral shield (segment 2) by a thin prolongation; in lateral view, twice length of notopodia, covering segment 1, and part of tentacular membrane. Two pairs of dichotomous branchiae, on segments 2 and 3. First pair longer, three to four levels of ramification; short and stout stalks and transverse crenulations. Pairs of nephridial papillae on segments 3–4 and 6–7, inserted at the base of the second pair of branchiae, and posterodorsally to the notopodium. Notopodial glandular patches pale, surrounding notopodium dorsally on segment 5, and ventrally on segment 6. Seventeen pairs of notopodia from segment 4; notopodia well developed with 12–15 chaetae per fascicle; notochaetae of one size ( Fig. 2 D), golden­coloured, simple bilimbate capillaries, slightly curved towards dorsum. Neuropodia from segment 5; well developed and erect in thorax; long, flat, emergent, projected backwards in abdomen. In thorax, neuropodia separated from notopodia by small rounded, emergent papilla­like structure. Uncini golden, in single rows from segment 5–10, in double rows from segment 11–20, in face to face position; in single rows from segment 21 until pygidium. Thoracic uncini MF:1:1–2 ( Fig. 2 E, F), narrow upper subrostrum, pointed subrostral process, without subrostral appendix; flat lower subrostrum; anterior process and filament both absent; base curved, finishing in an angulated posterior process, without posterior filament. Lower occipitium concave, and upper convex, terminating in a weakly toothed capitium. Abdominal uncini MF:1:2–3, similar to thoracic ones. Last 5 abdominal segments reduced in diameter, forming the pygidium; anus wide, surrounded by 20 small and diffused anal papillae. Tube unknown.

Var ia t io n: The total length varies from 9 mm to 30 mm; thorax length and width varies from 5 and 1 mm to 8 and 1.5 mm, respectively. Some paratypes have fewer tubercles on the dorsal surface than others, being present only on the most anterior segments, and located laterally on the mid­thorax. More material is needed to determine exactly how much variation occurs for this character.

Remarks: This species differs from P. c a r u s by the presence of numerous dorsal tubercles on the anterior thorax, and adjacent to notopodia on the mid­thorax, and in the papillae­like structures present between the noto­ and neuropodium on all thoracic parapodia, and in the number of anal papillae. The presence or absence of eyespots is not useful to distinguish these two species because they can be present or absent in P. c a r u s, while in P. garciagomezi they are always absent.

Type locality: Card Sound, Florida Keys, USA.

Distribution: Restricted to type locality; in shallow water, 25 m depth.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Paraeupolymnia garciagomezi sp. nov.: A. Anterior end, ventral view; B. Dorsal view; C. Lateral view; D. Chaetae, segment 10; E. Uncini, segment 10; F. Uncini, segment 25. Scales: A – C: 2 mm; D: 0.2 mm; E, F: 0.05 mm.