Paraprotis Uchida, 1978

Ten Hove, Harry A. & Kupriyanova, Elena K., 2009, Taxonomy of Serpulidae (Annelida, Polychaeta): The state of affairs, Zootaxa 2036, pp. 1-126 : 70-71

27. Paraprotis Uchida, 1978

( Fig. 32)

Type-species: Paraprotis dendrova Uchida, 1978

Number of species: 2, maybe 1

Tube white, opaque, circular in cross-section, without longitudinal keels. Granular overlay not observed. Operculum and pseudoperculum absent (or soft globular operculum may be present on second unmodified radiole in P. pulchra ). Arrangement of radioles semi-circular or short pectinate, up to 6 per lobe (up to 32 per lobe in P. pulchra ). Inter-radiolar membrane absent. Branchial eyes (ocellar clusters) present. Stylodes absent. Mouth palps absent, but a spiral projection for brood attachment originates from the right side of the mouth. Collar non-lobed, tonguelets absent. Thoracic membranes narrowing at third chaetiger but continuing to the 7 th thoracic chaetiger, a narrow apron is probably present (neither Uchida’s description nor an additional specimen SAM E3591 give a definite answer). 7 thoracic chaetigerous segments. Collar chaetae limbate ( Fig. 32A). Apomatus chaetae absent ( Fig. 32C). Thoracic uncini of Protis type, saw-shaped with about 10 teeth, anterior fang with pointed tip ( Fig. 32B). Thoracic triangular depression not observed. Anterior abdominal chaetae flat narrow geniculate with a row of sharp teeth along its free margin ( Fig. 32D). Abdominal uncini similar to thoracic ones but rasp-shaped. Achaetous anterior abdominal zone present, short (2–4 segments). Long posterior capillary chaetae present. Posterior glandular pad not observed.

Remarks. The diagnosis has been taken from Uchida (1978) who in the name for his new genus implied some similarity to Protis , mainly in the shape of thoracic uncini and lack of operculum, even though Protis has special fin-and-blade collar chaetae and thoracic Apomatus chaetae. Imajima (1979) described a second Paraprotis species , P. pulchra from Japan. Both species have a similar chaetation pattern; however, some specimens of P. pulchra have a thin globular operculum. Also, P. pulchra has a well developed trilobed collar, an inter-radiolar membrane, and uniformly wide thoracic membranes unlike P. dendrova , with its poorly developed non-lobed collar, bright ocellar clusters on its radioles but lacking an inter-radiolar membrane, and thoracic membranes that narrow at the 3 rd thoracic chaetiger. Spiral brooding projections typical for P. dendrova have not been mentioned for P. pulchra . Because of all the differences, P. pulchra very likely does not belong to the genus Paraprotis ( fide ten Hove, 1984 ). Nishi (1992b) provided SEM micrographs of chaetae of P. dendrova , additional figures are given in this paper ( Fig. 32).

1. Paraprotis dendrova Uchida, 1978 , Sabiura, South Japan

2.? Paraprotis pulchra Imajima, 1979 , Honshu, Japan.