Josephella Caullery & Mesnil, 1896

Kupriyanova, Elena K., Sun, Yanan, Ten Hove, Harry A., Wong, Eunice & Rouse, Greg W., 2015, Serpulidae (Annelida) of Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, Zootaxa 4019 (1), pp. 275-353 : 296

Genus Josephella Caullery & Mesnil, 1896

Type-species. Josephella marenzelleri Caullery & Mesnil, 1896

Diagnosis. (from ten Hove & Kupriyanova 2009). Tube white, opaque, circular in cross-section, with small peristomes; tube diameter approximately 0.1 mm. Granular overlay absent. Operculum delicate membranous cup with a flat distal surface surmounted by a marginal crown of fine teeth joined by a transparent membrane. Peduncle second non-modified pinnulate radiole. Pseudoperculum absent. Radioles arranged in semi-circles, up to 3 per lobe. Inter-radiolar membrane absent. Branchial eyes absent, a pair of red ocellar clusters at the base of collar. Stylodes absent. Mouth palps absent. 5 thoracic chaetigerous segments. Collar non-lobed. Tonguelets absent. Thoracic membranes short, ending at first chaetiger. Collar chaetae limbate. Apomatus chaetae present. Uncini rasp-shaped, with 10–12 teeth seen in profile, 4 teeth in a row distally to 7 above peg. Anterior peg gouged, widened into a rectangular to trapezoid base, flat, but with sharp angles that sometimes curve underneath (thus giving a bifurcate appearance under compound microscope). Triangular depression absent. Abdominal chaetae flat narrow geniculate with pointed denticulate edge. Abdominal uncini with 9–10 teeth in a row. Achaetous anterior abdominal zone long. Posterior capillary chaetae absent. Posterior glandular pad absent.

Remarks. This tiny serpulid is known from numerous circum(sub)tropical, temperate locations around the world. The species was confused with Rhodopsis by Straughan (1967a, fig. 5i).