Nereis sp. A

Muir, Alexander I. & Bamber, Roger N., 2008, New polychaete (Annelida) records and a new species from Hong Kong: the families Polynoidae, Sigalionidae, Chrysopetalidae, Pilargiidae, Nereididae, Opheliidae, Ampharetidae and Terebellidae, Journal of Natural History 42 (9 - 12), pp. 797-814 : 807-808

Nereis sp. A

Material

Two specimens, epifaunal sample 15, Fang Tsang Chau (Conic Island) Cave.

These two specimens are distinctively pigmented (in preserved material). The dorsal surface of anterior segments has a brown transverse marking across the middle of the segment, leaving the anterior and posterior edges free of pigment, but the posterior corners of the segment have darker streaks directed postero-medially. The pigment fades on posterior segments, the paler pigment disappearing before the darker streaks. Brown pigment is also present above and below the bases of the tentacles. Anteriorly the notopodia have orange tips, posteriorly the notopodia become completely orange. Orange patches are also present on the pygidium and the palpophores.

Paragnaths are present on both maxillary rings: I50; II5about 15 in rows of about 3; III 5about 11; IV5about 11; V 51; VI 53 in a transverse row; VII– VIII5few.

The notopodial chaetae are homogomph spinigers on anterior chaetigers, posterior notopodia also have a homogomph falciger. Neuropodial chaetae are homogomph spinigers and heterogomph falcigers above the acicula, heterogomph spinigers and heterogomph falcigers below the acicula.

Huang (2001) lists 25 taxa from the genus Nereis which have been recorded from Chinese waters, and Sun and Yang (2004) give 17 species. Using the descriptions in Imajima (1972) and Wu et al. (1981, 1985), the nearest match of these 25 taxa appears to be Nereis denhamensis Augener, 1913 . Although individual and regional variation must be borne in mind, it is unlikely that the specimens belong to this species, which differs in the number of paragnaths in areas IV (524–26), V (50) and VI (55–7). The distinctive pigmentation pattern mentioned above was not mentioned for any Nereis species in Wu et al. (1985).