Magelona alexandrae, Magalhães & Bailey-Brock & Watling, 2018

Magalhães, Wagner F., Bailey-Brock, Julie & Watling, Les, 2018, Four new species of Magelona (Annelida: Magelonidae) from Easter Island, Guam and Hawaii, Zootaxa 4457 (3), pp. 379-396 : 381-384

Magelona alexandrae sp. nov.

Figures 1 and 2A‒B

Material examined. Holotype: Hawaii, Oahu, Mamala Bay , Cage , Sta. FWR2, 21°17'22.4" N, 158°00'36.7" W, June /2002, 39.6 m ( USNM 1494155 ) . Paratypes: Same station as holotype (2 complete specimens, USNM 1494156 ; 1 complete specimen, BPBM-R3870 ). Additional material examined. Hawaii, Oahu, Mamala Bay , Barbers Point outfall, Sta. HB 7R4, 21°15'30.0" N, 158°03'11.3" W, March /1998, 65 m (1 complete specimen with 58 chaetigers); Sta. HB 3R4, 21°16'52.0" N, 158°01'30.5" W, Mar /2016, 68 m (1 af); Sta. HB 1R1, 21°16'50.5" N, 157°59'20.3" W, Mar /2016, 64.6 m (1 af); Sta. HB 6R4, 21°16'33.1" N, 158°01'48.2" W, Mar /2016, 59.4 m (1 af).

Diagnosis. Prostomium longer than wide, with distinct prostomial horns. Notopodia of chaetigers 1‒8 with elongate foliaceous postchaetal lamellae with distinctly crenulate upper edges. Superior processes elongate and present from chaetigers 1‒8. Chaetiger 9 with only bilimbate simple capillaries. Abdominal hooded hooks tridentate. Posterior abdominal lateral pouches (C configuration) present from chaetiger 40, paired.

Description. Holotype: complete specimen with both palps attached; prostomium 0.64 mm long, 0.39 mm wide; thorax 3.34 mm long (including prostomium), 0.34 mm wide; abdomen 0.29 mm wide; total length 25.78 mm for 68 chaetigers. Paratypes: Three complete paratypes measured; prostomium 0.59‒0.67 mm long, 0.30‒0.36 mm wide; thorax 3.2‒3.76 mm long (including prostomium), 0.26‒0.30 mm wide; abdomen 0.28‒0.39 mm wide; total length 16.49‒25.80 mm for 60‒66 chaetigers.

Prostomium longer than wide (L:W ratio 1.64‒1.96), slender; anterior margin smooth and rounded triangular, lateral margins rounded, with conspicuous prostomial horns; horns distinctly separated from antero-lateral margins of prostomium; prostomium with lateral convoluted markings ( Figs 1A, B , 2A ). Two pairs of thick prominent longitudinal dorsal ridges, transverse ridges absent; outer pair, extending basally and approaching achaetous segment; inner pair diverging anteriorly into horn corners and posteriorly towards prostomial base, with slight medial gap along its whole length ( Fig. 1A ). Burrowing organ partially everted in one paratype, saclike, ridges not observed. Slender palps arising ventro-laterally from base of prostomium and extending to chaetigers 20‒30 ( Fig. 1A ); palps measuring 8.14 mm long in holotype and ranging from 8.43‒9.96 mm long in paratypes; non‒papillated region short reaching anterior end of chaetiger 2 on holotype ( Fig. 1A ). Papillae short proximally but long for majority of length, digitiform; proximally and medially with four rows of papillae, decreasing to two rows distally. Achaetous segment long, twice the size of chaetiger 1 ( Fig. 1A ).

Thoracic segments slightly longer than wide; chaetigers 1‒8 similar; parapodia biramous; notopodia with low prechaetal lamellae confluent with foliaceous postchaetal lamellae of similar size throughout thorax; prechaetal lamellae joins far down postchaetal lamellae length ( Fig. 1D‒F ); notopodial postchaetal lamellae distally crenulate forming distinct bumps, elkhorn shaped, crenulations present along entire thorax and similar throughout ( Fig. 1D‒F ). Elongate prechaetal superior processes present (DML). Neuropodial pre- and postchaetal lamellae as low ridges on anterior thorax; ventral lobes (VNL) lobes elongate and decreasing in length on posterior thoracic segments; neuropodial postchaetal expansion as low ridge to chaetiger six, from chaetiger seven toward chaetiger nine forming a digitiform and distinct lobe ( Fig. 1J‒M ). Chaetiger nine constricted along its length and width; chaetiger nine ( Fig. 1G ): notopodial prechaetal lamellae low, rounded, postchaetal lamellae slightly shorter than preceding thoracic chaetigers, not crenulate; superior processes absent. Neuropodia of chaetiger nine with digitiform prechaetal process and short triangular postchaetal lobes. Chaetae of all thoracic chaetigers bilimbate simple capillaries ( Fig. 1C ); number of capillaries increasing posteriorly, 10‒12 notopodial and neuropodial capillaries anteriorly increasing to up to 20 bilimbate simple capillaries per ramus on chaetiger nine.

Anterior 10‒12 abdominal segments as long as wide, becoming longer than wide posteriorly. Abdominal parapodia with foliaceous lateral lamellae with low triangular expansions behind chaetal rows, edges crenulated in both rami ( Fig. 1H ); DML and VML present, minute. Abdominal chaetae tridentate hooded hooks of similar size throughout; two same-sized teeth above main fang ( Fig. 1I ); internal arcuate chaetae not observed. Hooks in two groups, main fangs vis–à–vis. Anterior abdominal segments with 5‒6 hooks per ramus, 3‒4 hooks more posteriorly.

Anterior abdominal lateral pouches (Σ configuration) absent and posterior abdominal lateral pouches (C configuration) present from chaetiger 40 of holotype, paired, present till chaetiger 61 and absent on last 6‒7 chaetigers. Additional specimens with posterior abdominal lateral pouches present from chaetigers 40‒49.

Pygidium rounded with a pair of digitiform, short, lateral anal cirri ( Fig. 1N ).

All preserved specimens lacking pigmentation, pale yellow. Specimens previously stained with Rose Bengal presented pink patches intensified with methyl green staining (described below).

Methyl Green Staining ( Fig. 2B ). Thoracic segments with dorsal transverse patches of green speckles, slightly arched; patches more evident from chaetiger 3 to posterior end of thorax. Transverse patches also present abdominally, more evident on anterior 20 abdominal segments. Abdomen with round pigmented region in between two subsequent parapodia (interparapodial). Thoracic and abdominal ventral region not distinctly stained.

Remarks. Magelona alexandrae sp. nov. is readily distinctive from its congeners by the elkhorn-shaped thoracic notopodial lamellae. Other Magelona species with distinct crenulations on thoracic notopodial lamellae are M. pectinata Nateewathana & Hylleberg, 1991 , M. johnstoni Fiege, Licher & Mackie, 2000 , M. marianae Hernández-Alcántara & Solís-Weiss, 2000 , M. montera Mortimer, Cassà, Martin & Gil, 2012 , and M. obockensis Gravier, 1905 . Magelona pectinata and M. johnstoni lack prostomial horns and have specialized chaetae on chaetiger 9. It differs from M. obockensis which has distinct bi-lobed notopodial thoracic lamellae. Magelona alexandrae differs from M. montera in possessing bidentate and not tridentate abdominal hooded hooks and on the prostomial shape and nature of the frontal horns in M. montera with bulbous distal tips. Magelona alexandrae sp. nov. is most similar to M. marianae by the distinct prostomial horns and shape of parapodial lamellae from chaetigers 1‒8. Magelona marianae differs from M. alexandrae sp. nov. in the presence of superior processes (DML) on chaetiger 9 and bidentate hooks instead of tridentate hooks.

Etymology. This species is named after Dr. Alexandra Rizzo, a polychaete researcher who has been an inspiration and friend to the first author (WFM) and has collaborated to the description of several new polychaete species to Hawaii.

Distribution. This species is only known from Mamala Bay, south shore of Oahu, Hawaii, 39‒ 68 m.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Magelona alexandrae sp. nov. A, anterior end and thoracic region, dorsal view, holotype; B, anterior end showing prostomium and anterior part of chaetiger 1, dorsal view, holotype; C, thoracic simple bilimbate capillaries; D, parapodium of chaetiger 1, anterior view; E, parapodium of chaetiger 5, anterior view; F, parapodium of chaetiger 8, anterior view; G, parapodium of chaetiger 9, anterior view; H, parapodium of chaetiger 12, anterior view; I, tridentate hooded hooks, lateral views; J–M, neuropodia of chaetigers 6–9, respectively, dorsal views; N, posterior end and pygidium, dorsal view;. Abbreviations: ch, chaetiger; pa, palp; ph, prostomial horn; pr, prostomium.

FIGURE 2. A-B, Holotype of Magelona alexandrae sp. nov. A; prostomium stained with Shirlastain A, dorsal view, B, Methyl Green Staining Pattern (MGSP) dorsolateral view, arrows indicate distinctive staining regions of thorax and abdomen; C-E, Paratype of M. cinthyae sp. nov., D, prostomium stained with Shirlastain A; D and E, MGSP, dorsal and ventral views, respectively with arrows indicating distinctive staining regions of thorax and abdomen; F-H, Holotype of M. paulolanai sp. nov., A, prostomium stained with Shirlastain A; G and H, MGSP, dorsal and ventral views, respectively, with arrows indicating distinctive staining regions of thorax and abdomen.