Galapagomystides Blake, 1985

Pearson, Kaila A. M. & Rouse, Greg W., 2022, Vampire Worms; A revision of Galapagomystides (Phyllodocidae, Annelida), with the description of three new species, Zootaxa 5128 (4), pp. 451-485 : 460

Galapagomystides Blake, 1985 (emended)

( Pleijel 1991; Blake 1994)

Table 4 .

Type species. Galapagomystides aristata Blake, 1985

Diagnosis (emended). Prostomium wider than long. Two antennae; two palps similar in size/shape to antennae. No median antenna or nuchal papilla. Nuchal organs unknown. Eyes absent. Smooth proboscis, papillae at distal end. Segment 1 fused or not (dorsally) to prostomium. Segment 1 distinct ventrally. Elongated dorsal cirri (EDC) (= tentacular cirri) on segments 1, 2; EDC on segment 3. No ventral cirri on segment 1. Ventral cirri on segment 2 elongated or like following segments. Parapodia uniramous, notopodial chaetae absent. Neuropodium with central fascicle containing compound chaetae; one simple emergent acicula. Compound chaetal shaft cylindrical; pointed blade extended from falcate joint. Rostrum of chaetal shaft asymmetrical/hooked. Presence of segmental bands of cilia. Pygidial cirri robust ellipsoid lobes. Living animals are red.

Remarks. Based on this study, Galapagomystides now includes five species; G. aristata , G. bobpearsoni n. sp., G. kathyae n. sp., G. patricki n. sp., and G. verenae n. comb. Blake’s (1985) original Galapagomystides diagnosis stated that the genus has segment 1 fused dorsally to the prostomium, and no dorsal cirri on segment 3. We amend the Galapagomystides diagnosis to allow for the variation shown in other members of the genus. For instance, some taxa do not have segment 1 fused to the prostomium and may have dorsal elongated cirri on segment 3 in addition to segments 1 and 2 ( Table 4 ). Pleijel’s (1991) diagnosis of Galapagomystides accepted Blake’s (1985) diagnosis, with the addition of nuchal organs present as dorso-lateral ciliated pits between the prostomium and segment 1. Pleijel (1991) also questioned the presence of segmental ciliated bands though their presence is confirmed here. All species within Galapagomystides have an asymmetrical/hooked tip of the chaetal shaft, which is unique to the genus among Phyllodocidae . For a morphological summary of variation within Galapagomystides see Table 4.