Galeolaria hystrix Mørch, 1863

Pillai, Gottfried, 2009, A revision of the genera Galeolaria and Pyrgopolon (Polychaeta: Serpulidae), with discussions on opercular insertion as a character in their taxonomy and relationships, and their zoogeography, Zootaxa 2060, pp. 47-58 : 50-53

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.186800
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6214567
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/E16387A9-FFE6-9439-B6AA-5EBCFD244ACB
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Galeolaria hystrix Mørch, 1863
status

Treatment

Galeolaria hystrix Mørch, 1863 View in CoL

( Fig. 2 A–I View FIGURE 2. A – I )

Galeolaria hystrix Mørch, 1863: 370 View in CoL , plate XI, figs. 3–4. Ehlers, 1907: 29 –30; Dew 1959: 37, fig. 12; Straughan, 1967: 237; Hutchings 1982: 291, fig. 6.27D.

Galeolaria rosea (Quatrefages) View in CoL , Ehlers 1904:70

Vermilia rosea Quatrefages, 1865 View in CoL : Haswell1884: 19, pl. 32, figs. 2–5

Material examined: Two small specimens, Cronulla, New South Wales, Australia, BM (NH) 1959.10.19.20, coll., identified and presented by B. Dew; 1 specimen, Otago Harbour, New Zealand, BM (NH) 1907.5.1.55, coll. Prof. Benham; 1 very large specimen, Dunedin, New Zealand, BM (NH) 86.11.18.48, Hutton coll.

Description: Maximum tube diameter 2.0 mm in a juvenile specimen from Cronulla, New South Wales, Australia, 11.0 mm in the large specimen from Otago Harbour, New Zealand. They attain lengths of 4–5 cm ( Hutchings, 1982: 291). Total length of worm from Otago Harbour: 34.5 mm. Of the two juvenile worms from Cronulla one has a total length of 4.0 mm, 13 branchial radioles on the left and 12 on the right, arranged in a circle on each side; its abdomen is 2.0 mm long and has about 36 segments. The second is 13.0 mm long, and has 20 branchial radioles arranged also in a circle on each side; its abdomen is 7.5 mm long and has about 76 segments.

Tube: Colour light pink in the small specimens from Cronulla, and pinkish orange in the specimen from Otago Harbour, New Zealand. All three of them bear a pair of longitudinal ridges and a wide longitudinal groove between them ( Fig. 2A View FIGURE 2. A – I ). Each longitudinal ridge of the large specimen ends in a pointed process over the aperture. While anterior processes of ridges are not yet developed in juveniles, they are foreshadowed in the forwardly directed sections seen along the ridges ( Fig. 2A View FIGURE 2. A – I ). Tube also described by Dew (1959: 37, fig. 12A).

Worm: Operculum inserted independently of branchial radioles of both sides; its peduncle winged ( Fig. 2D View FIGURE 2. A – I ). As seen in the specimen from New Zealand figured (2D) and in the large specimen from Dunedin, the massive peduncle arises from the anterior end of the thorax, well distanced from the branchial radioles of both sides, and, at a level between the first and second thoracic chaetigers. The number and arrangement of calcareous plates constituting the basal opercular plate is unlike that in G. c a e s p i t o s a. That of the Dunedin specimen ( Fig. 2F View FIGURE 2. A – I ) consists of several (9–10, perhaps up to a dozen) elongated, semi-rectangular plates in its anterior third, and a mosaic of several polygonal basal plates in the remaining two-thirds.

Remarks: The composition, structure and arrangement of the cluster of medial spines are different from those of G. caespitosa . As seen in the specimen from New Zealand, Fig. 2E View FIGURE 2. A – I , the central tapering spine occurring in G. c a e s p i t o s a is absent in G. hystrix . Furthermore, in the latter, they consist of two types of spines in a semicircular arrangement, an anterior series which are smooth forwardly directed spines and ending in antero-ventrally curved tips, and a posterior series, each of which bears 5–7 teeth along its posterior edge.

(The cluster of medial spines appears to have been accidentally lost during previous examinations of the specimen shown in Fig. 2F View FIGURE 2. A – I ). See also illustrations by Mørch (1863: 370, plate XI, figs. 3–4) concerning opercular structure.

As in G. caespitosa , the palisade of short rod-shaped marginal calcareous processes is supported in a translucent rim along the edge of the opercular disc ( Fig. 2A–F View FIGURE 2. A – I ). They are relatively longer in juveniles ( Figs 2A–B, E View FIGURE 2. A – I ) than in G. caespitosa . The mid-dorsal process is however, is not differentiated from the rest as in G. caespitosa . Furthermore, the faecal groove does not take a course along the opercular peduncle ( Figs 2C–E View FIGURE 2. A – I ), unlike in G. c a e s p i t o s a.

In the very large specimen from Dunedin, New Zealand, the radioles are arranged in a semi-circle on each side and joined together by short interradiolar membranes. Specimens examined by Dew (1959: 37) had up to 17 pairs of radioles. Maximum number of radioles occurring in this species has yet to be determined. Interradiolar membranes present ( Fig. 2C View FIGURE 2. A – I ).

Thoracic membranes extend to end of thorax; apron present ( Figs 2B–D View FIGURE 2. A – I ).

Chaetae: Special collar chaetae ( Fig. 2G View FIGURE 2. A – I ) simple serrated blades. Abdominal chaetae possess long shafts projecting conspicuously beyond the body; commence from about the 4th or 5th abdominal segment in a juvenile specimen ( Fig. 2B View FIGURE 2. A – I ); commence more posteriorly in older specimens and possess long shafts protruding conspicuously beyond their body wall ( Fig. 2C View FIGURE 2. A – I ); their distal ends geniculate ( Figs 2H–I View FIGURE 2. A – I ). Thoracic uncini bear 5–6 teeth, and mid-abdominal uncini 6–7 teeth, in addition to the anterior gouged process. See also Dew (1959: 37, figs 12C–G) for description of chaetae.

Distribution: Australia and New Zealand

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Annelida
Class	Polychaeta
Order	Sabellida
Family	Serpulidae
Genus	Galeolaria