Opisthosyllis 1879

Martín, Guillermo San, Hutchings, Pat & Aguado, María Teresa, 2008, Syllinae (Polychaeta, Syllidae) from Australia. Part. 2. Genera Inermosyllis, Megasyllis n. gen., Opisthosyllis, and Trypanosyllis, Zootaxa 1840, pp. 1-53 : 22

Genus Opisthosyllis 1879

Opisthosyllis Langerhans, 1879: 541 .

Diagnosis. Body of medium to large size (5> 10 mm in length) with numerous segments. Prostomium with 3 antennae, 2 pairs of eyes and sometimes 1 pair of eyespots, and 2 palps. Palps basally fused. Two pairs of tentacular (peristomial) cirri; some species with an occipital flap, differentiated from peristomium. Antennae, tentacular, anal, and dorsal cirri distinctly articulated. Pharynx with tooth located posterior to anterior rim, typically inserted behind middle of pharynx; anterior margin of pharynx surrounded by crown of soft papillae. Compound chaetae with falcigerous blades; capillary dorsal and ventral simple chaetae present. Ventral cirri digitiform to ovate. Reproduction by means of stolons.

Remarks. About 15 species have been described as Opisthosyllis , mostly from tropical waters; and two more species were added by Aguado et al. (2008). Four species have been previously reported from Australia, and another one is reported here.