Marifugia Absolon & Hrab, 1930

Ten Hove, Harry A. & Kupriyanova, Elena K., 2009, Taxonomy of Serpulidae (Annelida, Polychaeta): The state of affairs, Zootaxa 2036, pp. 1-126 : 59-61

20. Marifugia Absolon & Hrab ĕ, 1930

( Fig. 27)

Type-species: Marifugia cavatica Absolon & Hrabĕ, 1930

Number of species: 1

Tube white, opaque, circular in cross-section; irregular longitudinal keel and collar like rings may be present. Thin hyaline granular overlay of the tube present. Operculum fig-shaped to inverse conical, with (or without) chitinous endplate. Peduncle flattened cylindrical, smooth, without distal wings, gradually merging into opercular ampulla; inserted just below and between first and second dorsal radiole on left side (in large specimen almost covering base of branchial lobe). Pseudoperculum absent. Radioles arranged in semi-circles, up to 6 per lobe. Inter-radiolar membrane, branchial eyes and stylodes absent. Mouth palps not found. 6 thoracic chaetigerous segments. Collar non-lobed but with low medio-ventral projection. Thoracic membranes narrow but forming apron. Tonguelets absent. Collar chaetae absent. Thoracic chaetae limbate, Apomatus chaetae absent ( Fig. 27A). Thoracic uncini saw-to-rasp-shaped, with about 8 teeth in profile, up to 4 in a row above blunt almost square shallowly gouged anterior peg (dental formula P:4:3:2:1:1:1:1:1, Fig. 27B). Triangular depression absent. Abdominal chaetae trumpet-shaped, long, smoothly bent, with hollow tip bordered with pointed teeth ( Fig. 27D). Posterior abdominal capillaries not observed. Uncini saw-to-rasp- shaped; anterior peg simple rounded ( Fig. 27C). Achaetous anterior abdominal zone, long posterior capillary chaetae and glandular pad absent.

Remarks. Marifugia cavatica is unique in being the world's only fresh-water serpulid, of presumably marine origin ( Sket 1983), inhabiting subterranean waters of the Dinaric karst of the former Yugoslavia. The most recent study (Kupriyanova et al., in prep.) summarises data on ecology, distribution, and reproduction of the species and shows its close relationship with Ficopomatus .

Marifugia cavatica Absolon & Hrabĕ, 1930 , Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia to extreme N.E. Italy; fresh-water subterranean caves.