Pollentia, Capa & Pons & Jaume, 2022

Capa, María, Pons, Joan & Jaume, Damià, 2022, Discovery of a new scale worm (Annelida: Polynoidae) with presumed deep-sea affinities from an anchialine cave in the Balearic Islands (western Mediterranean), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 196, pp. 479-502 : 489-490

POLLENTIA GEN. NOV.

Zoobank registration: urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: A 0 C C E E 3 2 - 9 4 F E - 4 4 C 7 - B B 1 D - C4DD85D58FB5

Diagnosis: Body flattened dorsoventrally, with ≤ 27 segments ( Fig. 4 ). Prostomium bilobed ( Fig. 5A–C ). Frontal filaments absent. Eyes absent ( Fig. 5A–C ). Median and lateral antennae present; lateral antennae inserted subterminally on extensions of prostomium ( Fig. 5A–C ). Facial tubercle absent. Tentaculophores with acicula and chaetae ( Figs 5 , 6B ). Dorsal tubercles present. Elytrophores large, 13 pairs: one pair on each of segments 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23 and 26. Elytra large, covering dorsum, lacking papillae, each with microtubercles along external edge and posterior dorsal surface. Parapodia subbiramous; noto- and neuropodia with elongate acicular lobe. Notochaetae with spinous rows and pointed tips. Neurochaetae numerous, of two types: superior, flattened, with spinous rows and with tridentate tip; and inferior, shorter and thinner, lanceolate and pectinate, with spinous rows and tapering. Nephridial papillae present from segment 5 onwards.

Remarks: The erection of a new genus is required to accommodate this taxon because it shows some unique features not reported in any other member of the subfamily Eulagiscinae , namely, the display of 13 pairs of elytra and the morphology and arrangement of noto- and neurochaetae. In addition, Pollentia shows a unique combination of features: eyelessness; tentaculophores bearing acicula and chaetae; nephridial papillae present from segment 5 onwards; only one type of notochaetae present from segment 2 onwards, stout and spinous; and two types of neurochaetae: superior flattened, spinous and tridentate; and inferior smaller, lanceolate and pectinate with spinous rows reaching the tip.

Etymology: Generic name refers to Pollentia , an ancient Roman city located in the current Mallorcan municipality of Alcúdia, where the cave harbouring the new taxon is located. Gender feminine.

Type species: Pollentia perezi sp. nov., described herein, by monotypy.

Figures

Figure 4. Pollentia perezi gen. & sp. nov. live specimen. A, dorsal view, showing spotted pigmentation pattern, holotype MNCN 16.01/18955. B, ventral view, showing spotted pigmentation pattern, holotype MNCN 16.01/18955. C, dorsal view, paratype MNCN 16.01/18956. D, detail of anterior end; notice two elytra still attached on first two left elytrophores, paratype MNCN 16.01/18956. Images courtesy of WhiteLife Photography. Abbreviations: br, brain; cma, ceratophore median antenna; dc, dorsal cirrus; ely, elytra; ja, jaws; la, lateral antenna; li, lip; ma, median antenna; np, nephridial papillae; pa, palp; tc1, inferior tentacular cirrus; tcs, superior tentacular cirrus; stars, nephridial ducts.

Figure 5. Pollentia perezi gen. & sp. nov. (holotype MNCN 16.01/18955) specimen, with all elytra accidentally lost except for a posterior one. A, anterior segments, dorsal view, live specimen. B, detail of prostomium and head appendages, preserved specimen. C, anterior segments of live specimen, with proboscis partly everted. D, anterior segments, ventral view, preserved specimen. E, detail of anterior margin, showing mouth. F, anterior parapodia, ventral view, showing nephridial papillae. G, posterior segments, dorsal view. Abbreviations: cma, ceratophore median antenna; la, lateral antenna; li, lip; ma, median antenna; mo, mouth; np, nephridial papilla; pa, palp; ph, pharyx; tc, tentacular cirrus.

Figure 6. Pollentia perezi gen. & sp. nov. (paratype MNCN 16.01/18956). A, head with dissected appendages except for lateral antennae. B, head and anterior parapodia, side view (tentacular cirri with removed styles). C, lateral antenna. D, detail of lateral antenna, with internal papillae. E, detail of wrinkled palp, with longitudinal rows of papillae. F, papilla on palp. G, upper lip, without facial tubercle. H, second segment, with wide neuropodial acicular lobe. I, ventral cirrus of second segment. J, detail of papilla of first ventral cirrus. K, transverse rows of cilia on midbody dorsal sides. L, detail of dorsal rows of cilia. M, pharyngeal papillae. N, detail of jaw. Abbreviations: la, lateral antenna; ma, median antenna; mo, mouth; nea, neuroacicular lobe; noa, notoacicular lobe; pa, palp; ph, pharyx; tc, tentacular cirrus; ti, inferior tentacular cirrus; ts, superior tentacular cirrus; vc, ventral cirrus; 1–4, segment number; stars, rows of cilia.