LEPIDASTHENIINAE Pettibone, 1989

Barnich, R & Fiege, D, 2004, Revision of the genus Lepidastheniella Monro, 1924 (Polychaeta: Polynoidae: Lepidastheniinae) with notes on the subfamily Lepidastheniinae and the description of a new species, Journal of Natural History 38, pp. 863-876 : 864-865

Subfamily LEPIDASTHENIINAE Pettibone, 1989

Diagnosis. Prostomium with median and lateral antennae; lateral antennae inserted terminally, with ceratophores distinct. Tentaculophores without chaetae. Palps visible dorsally. Pharynx with jaws and border papillae. Dorsal tubercles indistinct; dorsal cirrophores without filamentous organs. Neuropodia distally truncate, elongate, and notched dorsally and ventrally, forming subequal anterior and posterior lobes and lacking projecting prechaetal acicular lobes.

Remarks. Pettibone (1989) erected the subfamily Lepidastheniinae for the following seven genera: Alentiana Hartman, 1942 ; Benhamipolynoe Pettibone, 1970 ; Hyperhalosydna Augener, 1922 ; Lepidasthenia Malmgren, 1867 ; Parahalosydna Horst, 1915 ; Perolepis Ehlers, 1908 ; and Telolepidasthenia Augener and Pettibone in Pettibone, 1970. Later, Pseudopolynoe Day, 1962 and Showapolynoe Imajima, 1997 were added to the subfamily (see Pettibone, 1995; Imajima, 1997).

Together with Lepidametria Webster, 1879 , Lepidastheniella Monro, 1924 was considered to be a junior synonym of Lepidasthenia Malmgren, 1867 by Day (1967). However, we agree with Uschakov (1982) and Hanley and Burke (1991) that the differences in the elytral arrangement of Lepidasthenia , Lepidametria and Lepidastheniella among other characters justify the validity of all three genera. According to our studies of the type species of Lepidastheniella , i.e. L. comma , and the type material of all other Lepidastheniella species covered herein, we establish an emended generic diagnosis for the genus (see below) and due to the characters described, we see no reason not to include this genus also in the Lepidastheniinae . In contrast, although the genus Lepidametria shows several similarities with Lepidasthenia (e.g. the shape of the prostomium, a high number of segments, and a certain variability in the elytral arrangement), the parapodia differ significantly in their shape from those of the members of the Lepidastheniinae . In the Lepidastheniinae neuropodia are well developed, rather elongate, and distinctly notched dorsally and ventrally, while in Lepidametria neuropodia are well developed, but shorter, and not distinctly notched, which is typical for the Lepidonotinae Willey, 1902 (see also Pettibone, 1953; Imajima, 1997; Barnich and Fiege, in press).

Subsequently a key to the 10 genera belonging currently to the Lepidastheniinae is given and tables 1 and 2 summarize their main differentiating characters.

Key to the genera of the subfamily Lepidastheniinae Pettibone, 1989

1 More than 50 segments................. 2 – Fewer than 50 segments................. 8

2 Parapodia biramous; several notochaetae present; elytra on segments 2, 4, 5, alternating

to 29, 30, absent on posterior segments...... Pseudopolynoe Day, 1962

– Parapodia sub-biramous, notochaetae absent or only few (0–3); elytral arrangement otherwise...................... 3

3 Tips of neurochaetae elongate, unequally cleft; elytra on segments 2, 4, 5, alternating

to 23, then on every third to end of body...... Perolepis Ehlers, 1908 – Tips of neurochaetae otherwise; elytral arrangement otherwise....... 4

4 Neurochaetae with rows of spines scarcely developed or lacking; elytra on segments

2, 4, 5, alternating to 15, then variable, with either elytra continuing posteriorly or

long posterior region without elytra...... Benhamipolynoe Pettibone, 1970 – Neurochaetae with distinct rows of spines; elytral arrangement otherwise.... 5

5 Neurochaetae unidentate with two strong spines sub-distally; elytra on segments 2, 4,

5, alternating to 29, 30, alternating to 44, 45, then irregularly arranged.....

................. Showapolynoe Imajima, 1997 – Neurochaetae bi- and/or unidentate, without strong spines sub-distally; elytral arrangement otherwise.................... 6

6 Neurochaetae unidentate; elytra on segments 2, 4, 5, alternating to 23, 26, 29, 32, 34,

37, then on every third to end of body..............

........ Telolepidasthenia Augener and Pettibone in Pettibone, 1970 – Neurochaetae bi- and/or unidentate, elytral arrangement otherwise..... 7

7 Elytra on segments 2, 4, 5, alternating to end of body. Lepidastheniella Monro, 1924

– Elytra on segments 2, 4, 5, alternating to 23, 26, then on every third to end of body..

................ Lepidasthenia Malmgren, 1867

8 Neurochaetae mostly bidentate; elytra on segments 2, 4, 5, alternating to 41, 42...

................ Hyperhalosydna Augener, 1922 – Neurochaetae unidentate; elytral arrangement otherwise........ 9

9 Neurochaetae of two kinds: several fine supra-acicular ones with few rows of spines

and single or few stouter, spine-like sub-acicular ones; elytra on segments 2, 4, 5, alternating to 23, 26, 29, 32, 34, 36, 37....... Alentiana Hartman, 1942

– Neurochaetae all of the same kind with distinct rows of spines; elytra on segments 2, 4, 5, alternating to 23, 26, 28, 30........ Parahalosydna Horst, 1915