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.