Palola Lizard

Schulze, Anja, 2015, Six genetically distinct clades of Palola (Eunicidae, Annelida) from Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, Zootaxa 4019 (1), pp. 695-706 : 702

Palola Lizard Island Clade 5

( Fig. 3 E, F)

Material examined. AM W.44146, MI QLD 2356 (2, 1 sequenced and photographed); AM W.44155, MI QLD 2353, sequenced; AM W.44202, MI QLD 2359; AM W.44352, MI QLD 2371; AM W.45119, MI QLD 2435.

Description. Specimens thin and threadlike. Only the sequenced fragment of specimen AM W.44146 is described in detail here ( Fig. 3 E). The only other sequenced specimen (AM W.44155) is minuscule, broken into several fragments and probably a juvenile. Specimen AM W.44146 is 11 mm long and 0.7 mm wide with 50 chaetigers. No branchiae or ventral eyespots present. Mandibles protruding from mouth and very thin with a serrated anterior margin ( Fig. 3 F). Maxillae not examined. Head and body without pigmentation. Antennae and palps wrinkled, tapering and with pointy tips. Median antenna reaching chaetiger 2, lateral antennae chaetiger 1 and palps first peristomial ring. Peristomial cirri absent or lost. Eyes dark, round with a ventral notch and nestled between lateral antennae and palps. Acicula brown. Other chaetae not examined.

Remarks. Clade 5 belongs to species group B. As mentioned above, clades 1 and 5 are morphologically very similar but can be distinguished by the relative length of the peristomial rings in the mid-lateral line. In clade 1 the anterior peristomial ring is substantially longer while they are nearly the same length in clade 5.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Palola Lizard Island clades 3 (A, B), 4 (C, D) and 5 (E, F). All material ethanol-preserved. A. Palola Lizard Island clade 3, AM W. 44407, dorsal view; B. Palola Lizard Island clade 3, same specimen as in A, lateral view; C. Palola Lizard Island clade 4, AM W. 44653, dorsal view; D. Palola Lizard Island clade 4, same specimen as in C, ventro-lateral view; E. Palola Lizard Island clade 5, AM W. 44146, dorsal view; F. Palola Lizard Island clade 5, same specimen as in E, lateral view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.