Pomatoceros Philippi, 1844

Ten Hove, Harry A. & Kupriyanova, Elena K., 2009, Taxonomy of Serpulidae (Annelida, Polychaeta): The state of affairs, Zootaxa 2036, pp. 1-126 : 75-76

30. Pomatoceros Philippi, 1844

( Fig. 35)

Type-species: Serpula triquetra Linnaeus, 1758

Number of species: 5

Tube generally white, opaque, though blue, purplish and pink parts may occur; usually with longitudinal keel(s), may be with more or less regular series of pits, triangular or sub-triangular in cross-section; granular overlay absent. Operculum with inverse conical to rather shallow ampulla, with calcified endplate, sometimes bearing spines. Peduncle thick, triangular in cross-section, with distal lateral wings; a constriction between peduncle and ampulla may be present; peduncle inserted almost medio-dorsally, covering the base of up to three dorsal radioles. Pseudoperculum absent. Radioles arranged in semi-circles and up to 20 per lobe. Branchial eyes and stylodes absent. Mouth palps present. 7 thoracic chaetigerous segments. Collar trilobed; tonguelets between ventral and lateral collar lobes present. Thoracic membranes long, forming ventral apron across anterior abdominal segment. Collar chaetae small, limbate. Apomatus chaetae absent. All uncini sawshaped with 10–11 teeth, anterior peg blunt gouged ( Fig. 35A, B). Thoracic triangular depression present. Abdominal chaetae true trumpet-shaped, abruptly bent, distally with two rows of denticles separated by hollow groove ( Fig. 35C, D). Achaetous anterior abdominal zone absent. Long posterior capillary chaetae absent. Posterior glandular pad absent.

Remarks. See remarks for Spirobranchus .

1. Pomatoceros americanus Day, 1973 , Beaufort, North Carolina; temperate Eastern USA

2. Pomatoceros lamarckii ( Quatrefages, 1866) , Guettary, France; Mediterranean-Atlantic, U.K., English Channel

3. Pomatoceros minutus Rioja, 1941b , Acapulco, West Mexico; Gulf of California, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean to Brazil

4. Pomatoceros taeniatus ( Lamarck, 1818) , Tasmania; South Australia, New South Wales, New Zealand, South Trinidad Islands; a remarkable and questionable distribution, Trinidad might be explained by a label error by Benham (1927, as P. terraenovae )

5. Pomatoceros triqueter ( Linnaeus, 1758) , Norway to and including Mediterranean-Atlantic, Black Sea; records from other areas questionable.