Pionosyllis kalimna, San Martin & Hutchings, 2006

San Martin, G & Hutchings, PA, 2006, Eusyllinae (Polychaeta: Syllidae) from Australia with the Description of a New Genus and Fifteen New Species, Records of the Australian Museum 58, pp. 257-370 : 335-336

Pionosyllis kalimna n.sp.

Fig. 65A–K

Material examined. HOLOTYPE ( AM W28948) AUSTRALIA: WESTERN AUSTRALIA: N end of beach, Bundegi Reef, Exmouth Gulf , 21°49'S 114°11'E, rocky rubble, sediment & brown algae with epiphytes, 2 m, coll. H.E. Stoddart, 4 Jan 1984 . PARATYPES 2 ( AM W26779) N end of beach, Bundegi Reef, Exmouth Gulf, 21°49'S 114°11'E, rocky rubble, coralline algae with green epiphyte, 2 m, coll. H.E. Stoddart, 4 Jan 1984 .

Description. Body 6.4 mm long, 0.3 mm wide, slightly broad anteriorly, tapering posteriorly, with 39 chaetigers plus 5–6 segments without chaetae (Fig. 65A,G), darkly for most of length, fused basally, slightly shorter than prostomium (Fig. 65A). Peristomium similar in length to subsequent segments, with 2 nuchal organs forming ciliated dorsal pits; dorsal tentacular cirri similar in shape and length to median antenna, ventral tentacular cirri similar to lateral ones. Median antenna, dorsal tentacular cirri, and dorsal cirri of chaetigers 1, 4, and 6, enlarged, fusiform, distinctly longer than remaining appendages (Fig. 65A); remaining dorsal cirri not as fusiform, and shorter, about two thirds length of longer ones. Parapodia with bilobed prechaetal lobe and trilobed postchaetal lobe, medium lobe enlarged at base with rounded tip (Fig. 65B). Ventral cirri digitiform, shorter than parapodial lobes. Compound chaetae heterogomph, with smooth or nearly smooth shafts Remarks. Pionosyllis kalimna n.sp. is easily distinguished from P. fusigera Augener, 1913 , by the compound chaetae that are short with two equally well-developed terminal teeth, enlarged dorsal cirri without a distal button; it also differs in the structure of the parapodia, and the colour pattern, black stripes in P. fusigera , and small red spots in P. kalimna .

Habitat. Occurring in rocky rubble, sediment and brown algae with epiphytes, in 2 m depth.

Distribution. Australia (Western Australia).

Etymology. The specific name comes from an aboriginal word, kalimna meaning beautiful.