Nicolea ceciliae, Santos & Nogueira & Fukuda & Christoffersen, 2010

Santos, Andre Souza Dos, Nogueira, João Miguel De Matos, Fukuda, Marcelo Veronesi & Christoffersen, Martin Lindsey, 2010, New terebellids (Polychaeta: Terebellidae) from northeastern Brazil, Zootaxa 2389 (1), pp. 1-46 : 24-32

Nicolea ceciliae sp. nov.

( Figs. 11–15 ; Table 3)

Material examined. Type material. Holotype and paratypes 1–10 coll. Sta. 20 (05°04’46.9”S 36°26’19.5”W), 8 Nov 2007; holotype MZUSP 01032, paratype 1 CIPY-POLY-1392, paratype 2 MZUSP 01033, paratype 3 MZUSP 01034, paratypes 4-5 LACM-AHF POLY 2257, paratype 6 ZMUC-POL-2108, paratype 7 CIPY-POLY-1393, paratype 8 CIPY-POLY-1394, paratype 9 CIPY-POLY-1395, paratype 10 MZUSP 01035. For more information on each specimen of type-series see Table 3.

Additional material. Sta. 20 (05°04’46.9”S 36°26’19.5”W): 1 posterior end, coll. 8 Nov 2007. Sta 22 (05°05’12.9”S 36°28’03.8”W): 1 spec., coll. 10 Nov 2007. Sta 24 (05°04’05.6”S 36°26’19.5”W): 3 specs plus pieces of tubes of another taxon, coll. 11 Nov 2007.

Comparative material examined. Nicolea uspiana ( Nogueira, 2003) : Holotype (MHN BPO 72/0) and 5 paratypes (MHN BPO 72/1–5), coll. Ilha Porchat , São Vicente, State of São Paulo, Brazil (23º59’S 46º22’W), 17 Nov 2002 . Non-type material: 331 specs, coll. Praia do Guaraú , Peruíbe, State of São Paulo, Brazil (24 o 22’S 47 o 01’W), 5 Mar 2007 .

Nicolea cetrata ( Ehlers, 1887, as Terebella cetrata ). Holotype ( MCZ 834 ), coll. Expedition Blake, USA, Florida, Key West, by A. Agassiz, 2–4 m, 1877–1878; incomplete spec., in relatively good state of preservation; slides: notochaetae from segment 18; neurochaetae from segments 6, 13, 23, 61.

Description. Thick tube, mucous, with sand, small stones and fragments of shells embedded. Complete specimens 15–22 mm long, around 1 mm wide, with up to 55 segments; larger incomplete specimens up to 24 (17) mm long, 2.1 (1.5) mm wide ( Table 3); buccal tentacles up to 14 (6) mm long. Preserved body uniformly beige, neuropodia throughout bordered with brown pigmentation, notopodia with brown line at tip ( Figs 11A– C, E–H ; 12A–B, F–H ). Anterior segments slightly inflated dorsally ( Figs 11B–C, E–G ; 12A, C, E–H ; 13A–B, D–E, G–I ). Body progressively wider until segment 8; anterior segments compact, about same length, segments progressively longer from segment 8 until segment on which notopodia terminate, more evident from segment 11 ( Figs 11A–H ; 12A–B, F–H ; 13A–I ). Ventral shields on segments 2–15 or 16 (2–15), smooth shields, rectangular; shields on segments 2–4 about same width, then shields progressively narrower and longer until segment 15–16, more evident from segment 7 ( Figs 11A, C, E–I ; 12A–B, F–H ; 13B–C, F–G, J ); after segments 15–16 shields replaced by mid-ventral groove extending until pygidium ( Figs 11A, L ; 13C, F ). Prostomium at base of upper lip; distal part forming shelf-like process from which buccal tentacles originate; basal part of prostomium with thin row of eyespots more concentrated laterally, mid-dorsal gap sometimes present. Peristomium restricted to lips; upper lip longer than wide; lower lip swollen, cushion-like ( Figs 11H– I ; 12A–B, D, F–H ; 13C, F, J ). Segment 1 dorsally short, with well developed ventral lobe below lower lip ( Figs 11A–I, K ; 12A–H ; 13C, F–G, J ). Two pairs of branching branchiae on segments 2–3, with conspicuous annulated basal stem and ramifications ending in short filaments; ramifications dichotomous or arborescent, varying between specimens and sometimes within same specimen, from first to second pairs of branchiae; first pair longer, with longer basal stem, inserted slightly more dorsally than second pair ( Figs 11A–G, J–K ; 12A–C, E–H ; 13A–E, G–J, L ) (holotype with first pair of branchiae dichotomously branching and arborescent second pair; Fig. 11A–G, J–K ). Most specimens, including holotype, with seventeen pairs of notopodia, on segments 4–20 ( Table 3); first two pairs shorter and dorsally aligned to following ones ( Figs 11B–C, E–G ; 12A, C, E–H ; 13B, G–H, L ). Narrowly-winged notochaetae on both tiers, those on posterior tier with wing starting from mid-length of chaetae ( Figs 14A ; 15A–D ). Neuropodia beginning from segment 5, as low rectangular ridges slightly raised from surface of body until segment on which notopodia terminate ( Figs 11A–I, L ; 12A–B, F–H ; 13B–H, J–L ), as raised pinnules on abdomen, situated laterally to mid-ventral groove ( Figs 11L , 15I ), with internal neuropodial shafts. Uncini short-handled throughout, with short triangular heel, short prow, downwardly directed process present, dorsal button situated at mid-length between base of main fang and tip of prow, and crest with 2 rows of secondary teeth ( Figs 14B–E ; 15E–K ); uncini arranged in completely intercalated double rows from segment 10 until segment on which notopodia terminate ( Figs 14D ; 15G–H ). Nephridial papillae as one pair of short papillae on segment 3, situated posteriorly to base of branchiae on segment 3 and vertically aligned to it ( Fig. 13L ); genital papillae situated posteriorly to notopodia on segments 6–7, females with large, spherical papillae ( Figs 11B–G, K ; 13G–H, L ), males with relatively short, thick digitiform papillae, larger on segment 6 ( Fig. 12A, C, E–H ; 13A–E, K ). Pygidium smooth.

Variation. Ocelli readily fade and disappear in preserved specimens. Most specimens, including paratypes 1–2, 4, 6–8 and 10, have ocelli in a continuous row across basal part of prostomium, but holotype and a few other specimens have lighter ocelli, with conspicuous mid-dorsal gap, and in other specimens, including paratypes 3 and 5, ocelli have completely disappeared.

The number of pairs of notopodia presents little variation. Except for paratype 9, which has notopodia extending until segment 19, and paratype 6, which has notopodia until segment 21 on the right side of the body and 20 on the left side, all other specimens have notopodia on segments 4–20 ( Table 3). However, paratype 9 is also much smaller than the other specimens ( Table 3) and is possibly a juvenile, since it also has genital papillae distinctly smaller than on most paratypes.

Remarks. As said above, the only species of Nicolea reported for the Brazilian coast prior to the present study is N. uspiana , known from the State of São Paulo. Nicolea uspiana differs from N. ceciliae sp. nov., in having branchiae and genital papillae with different morphology, segment 1 not forming a ventral lobe below the lower lip, uncini arranged in double rows from segment 11, and ventral shields extending until segment 20, while N. ceciliae sp. nov., has uncini arranged in double rows from segment 10 and ventral shields extending until segment 15–16. The branchiae of N. uspiana are always arborescent ( Nogueira 2003; Alves 2008), not presenting the variation observed in N. ceciliae sp. nov., between dichotomously branching and arborescent types.

In regards to the species of Nicolea occurring in the Caribbean region, Salazar-Vallejo (1996) listed two species occurring in that area, N. cetrata ( Ehlers, 1887) , which was described from Key West, Florida, USA, and N. modesta Verrill, 1900 , described from Bermuda. However, the study of the holotype of N. cetrata demonstrated that it has lobes on anterior segments, broadly-winged notochaetae and long-handled uncini on anterior segments, which is not in agreement with the diagnosis of Nicolea , but with Pista , as correctly noticed by Londoño-Mesa (2009). Therefore, this species is discussed below, as P.cetrata .

On the other hand, N. modesta was considered by Holthe (1986) as indeterminable and its original description states that it has notopodia from segment 3 and neuropodia from segment 4 ( Verrill 1900). If this is correct, the species must also be allocated to a different genus, still undescribed, as noted by Nogueira (2008).

Etymology. We dedicate this species to Dr Cecília Amaral, from Universidade Estadual de Campinas – UNICAMP, for her great contribution to the knowledge of Brazilian marine invertebrates. Dr Amaral has been the coordinator of most projects which have investigated invertebrate biodiversity in Brazil in recent years, being responsible for a great increase on the knowledge of the Brazilian fauna of polychaetes and other groups of invertebrates.

Figures

FIGURE 11. Nicolea ceciliae sp. nov. Holotype (MZUSP 01032). A: anterior end, ventral view; B: anterior end, right lateral view; C: anterior end, left lateral view; D: anterior end, dorsal view; E–F: details of anterior end, left lateral view; G: detail of anterior end, right lateral view; H–I: details of anterior end, ventral view; J: branchia of second pair; K: detail of anterior end, dorsal view; L: transition between region with biramous parapodia and region after notopodia terminate, segments 19–22. Numbers refer to segments; unspecified arrows point to female genital papillae; ll = lower lip; P = prostomium; ul = upper lip. Scale bars: A = 1 mm; B–D = 0.8 mm; E = 0.7 mm; F–H = 0.5 mm; I, K = 0.3; J, L = 0.4 mm.

FIGURE 12. Nicolea ceciliae sp. nov. Paratype 8 (CIPY-POLY-1394). A: anterior end, left lateral view; B: anterior end, ventral view; C: anterior end, dorsal view; D: detail of anterior end, ventral view; E: detail of anterior end, dorsal view; F: anterior end, right lateral view; G: detail of anterior end, right lateral view; H: detail of anterior end, left lateral view. Numbers refer to segments; unspecified arrows point to male genital papillae; ll = lower lip; P = prostomium; ul = upper lip. Scale bars: A = 0.8 mm; B–C, F–H = 0.5 mm; D–E = 0.3 mm.

FIGURE 13. Nicolea ceciliae sp. nov. A: anterior end, dorsal view; B: anterior end, right lateral view; C: anterior end, ventral view; D: anterior end, left lateral view; E: anterior end, left dorso-lateral view; F: anterior end, ventral view; G: anterior end, right lateral view; H: anterior end, right dorso-lateral view; I: anterior end, dorsal view; J: detail of anterior end, left ventro-lateral view; K: detail of segments 6–10 of left side of body; arrows point to male genital papillae; L: detail of right dorso-lateral view; arrow on segment 3 points to nephridial papilla, arrows on segments 6–7 point to female genital papillae. A–E, K from paratype 3 (MZUSP 01034); F–J, L from paratype 2 (MZUSP 01033). Numbers refer to segments; ll = lower lip; ul = upper lip. Scale bars: A, D, H–I = 0.6 mm; B–C, E–F = 0.9 mm; G = 0.4 mm; J–L = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 14. Nicolea ceciliae sp. nov. Holotype (MZUSP 01032). A: notochaetae, segment 9; B: uncini, segment 6; C: uncini, segment 9; D: uncini, segment 10; E: uncini, segment 25. Scale bars: A = 50 µm; B–E = 20 µm.

FIGURE 15. Nicolea ceciliae sp. nov. Paratype 3 (MZUSP 01034). A: notochaetae, segment 9; B: notochaetae from anterior tier, segment 9; C: notochaetae, segment 15; D: notochaeta from anterior tier, segment 15; E: uncini, segment 5; F: uncini, segment 6; G–H: uncini, segment 10; I: neuropodium, segment 22; J–K: uncini, segment 22. Scale bars: A = 40 µm; B = 18 µm; C = 30 µm; D–E, G = 10 µm; F = 5.3 µm; H = 6.2 µm; I = 20 µm; J = 6 µm; K = 4.5 µm.