Prionospio (Prionospio) caspersi Laubier, 1962

Dagli, Ertan & Çinar, Melih Ertan, 2009, Species of the subgenera Aquilaspio and Prionospio (Polychaeta: Spionidae: Prionospio) from the southern coast of Turkey (Levantine Sea, eastern Mediterranean), with description of a new species and two new reports for the Mediterranean fauna, Zootaxa 2275, pp. 1-20 : 3

Prionospio (Prionospio) caspersi Laubier, 1962

Prionospio caspersi Laubier, 1962:135 –148, figs. 1–3.

Prionospio (Prionospio) caspersi: Imajima 1990a:111 –114, figs. 4–5.

Material examined. ESFM –POL/05–3187, 7 specimens, 6 September 2005, Finike Bay, G14, 36º17΄46ʺN, 30º09΄18ʺE, 5 m, Zostera marina ; ESFM –POL/05–110, 1 specimen, 10 September 2005, Iskenderun Bay, D13, 36º33΄22ʺN, 35º34΄17ʺE, 10 m, muddy sand; ESFM –POL/05–209, 6 specimens, 14 September 2005, Iskenderun Bay, K8, 36º45΄40ʺN, 36º11΄58ʺE, 1 m, sand; ESFM –POL/05–370, 19 specimens, 14 September 2005, Iskenderun Bay, K9, 36º54΄22ʺN, 35º58΄0 5ʺE, 1 m, sand; ESFM –POL/05–1333, 12 specimens, 18 September 2005, Mersin Bay, K15, 36º48΄27ʺN, 34º41΄35ʺE, 5 m, sand; ESFM –POL/05–1014, 1 specimen, 22 September 2005, Anamur, D27, 36º04΄28ʺN, 32º53΄0 3ʺE, 12 m, muddy sand; ESFM –POL/05–1169, 1 specimen, 22 September 2005, Anamur, K26, 36º05΄0 5ʺN, 32º54΄0 3ʺE, 3 m, sand; ESFM –POL/05–1478, 2 specimens, 25 September 2005, Antalya Bay, K32, 36º35΄48ʺN, 31º49΄34ʺE, 5 m, sand; ESFM –POL/05– 3186, 13 specimens, 1 October 2005, Kale, K41, 36º14΄29ʺN, 30º01΄33ʺE, 1 m, sand.

Diagnosis. Largest specimen incomplete, 0.6 mm wide, 10.9 mm long, with 40 chaetigers. Color in alcohol, opaque white. Prostomium triangular, broadly flared anteriorly, with narrow caruncle reaching to posterior part of chaetiger 1; with two pairs of small eyes. Branchiae numbering four pairs; present on chaetigers 2–5; pairs 1–3 apinnate, pair four with numerous digitiform pinnules. Notopodial postchaetal lamellae largest in branchial region, lamellae triangular; neuropodial lamellae lanceolate; a high dorsal crest across dorsum of chaetiger 7. Ventral sabre chaeta first present on chaetiger 10, numbering 1–2 per parapodium. Bidentate hooded hooks first appearing on neuropodia of chaetigers 16–18, on notopodia of chaetiger 33.

Remarks. The specimens examined in the present study agree with the original and subsequent descriptions of the species ( Laubier 1962, Imajima 1990a).

Ecology. The maximum population density (475 individuals.m -2) of this species was found on sandy substratum at 1 m depth at station K9 (Iskenderun Bay).

Distribution. Pacific Ocean ( Imajima 1990a) and Mediterranean Sea ( Laubier 1962); 3– 200 m.