Paraehlersia San Martín, 2003

Prado, Ainhoa & Martín, Guillermo San, 2024, Syllidae (Annelida) from the Alborán Sea (Western Mediterranean), with the description of a new species of Paraehlersia San Martín, 2003, Zootaxa 5437 (1), pp. 87-104 : 90-101

Genus Paraehlersia San Martín, 2003

Diagnosis (after San Martín & Aguado, 2022): Dorsal ciliary bands on segments. Palps basally fused. Antennae, tentacular cirri, and anterior dorsal cirri wrinkled or irregularly articulated depending on body size; other dorsal cirri smooth. Pharyngeal tooth positioned anteriorly. Parapodia with digitiform, retractile papilla between parapodial lobe and dorsal cirrus. Compound chaetae including one or more with spiniger-like blades and several with bidentate falcigerous blades with both teeth similar in anterior segments and proximal tooth usually longer and robust than distal tooth, marked depending on the species. Aciculae acuminate. Reproduction by epigamy.

Type species: Ehlersia ferrugina Langerhans, 1881 .

Key for species of Paraehlersia

1.- Anterior, midbody and posterior compound chaetae all similar; spiniger-like chaetae similar to falcigers but longer, both with proximal tooth similar or shorter than distal ones................................ P. dionisi Núñez & San Martín, 1991

.- Posterior falcigers distinctly different from anterior ones; falcigers with blades, different to spiniger-like blades.......... 2

2.- Blades of posterior falcigers with proximal tooth distinctly larger than distal one................................... 3

.- Blades of posterior falcigers with both teeth similar or proximal slightly longer than distal one........................ 7

3.- Distal spines of posterior falcigers longer than remaining ones, curved, surpassing level of proximal tooth, reaching level of distal one............................................................... P. weissmannioides ( Augener, 1913)

.- Spines of falcigers all short and straight.................................................................... 4

4.- Some posterior falcigers with wide blades, totally smooth on margin; dorsal simple chaetae filiform, with pointed tip............................................................................ P. kaweskar Soto & San Martín, 2018

.- Falcigers and dorsal simple chaea different................................................................. 5

5.- Posterior dorsal simple chaetae bidentate, both teeth similar in size............................................. 6

.- Dorsal simple chaetae of different shape................................................................... 8

6.- Dorsal simple chaetae similar all along body.............................................................................................................. P. longichaetosa Fukuda, Centurión, Nogueira & San Martín, 2012

.- Dorsal simple chaetae unidentate on anterior segments.......................... P. articulata ( Kudenov & Harris, 1995)

7.- Posterior falcigers with proximal tooth somewhat large than distal one, distinctly separated from proximal, both straight; dorsal simple chaetae unidentate............................ P. martapolae Fukuda, Centurión, Nogueira & San Martín, 2012

.- Posterior falcigers with both teeth similar, almost equal, slightly hooked; dorsal simple chaetae bidentate.... P. pamelae n. sp.

8.- Posterior falcigers somewhat elongated, with distal tooth about half length of proximal one................................................................................................... P. ehlersiaeformis ( Augener, 1913)

.- Posterior falcigers short, with distal tooth very small................................ P. ferrugina ( Langerhans, 1881)