Ophelina helgolandica Augener, 1912

Helgason, Julio Parapar Juan Moreira Gudmundur V., 2011, Distribution and diversity of the Opheliidae (Annelida, Polychaeta) on the continental shelf and slope of Iceland, with a review of the genus Ophelina in northeast Atlantic waters and description of two new species, Organisms Diversity & Evolution (New York, N. Y.) 11 (2), pp. 83-105 : 93-94

Ophelina helgolandica Augener, 1912

( Figs. 9e and 11 ) Ophelina helgolandiae Augener — Augener (1912: 174);

Støp-Bowitz (1945: 48); Støp-Bowitz (1948. 17). Ophelina helgolandica Augener — Hansson (1998: 109);

Rowe (2010: 2). See Remarks below.

Material examined BIOICE material: 143 specimens (1.20% of Opheliidae ) in 18 samples (see Electronic Supplementary Material) .

Comparative material: holotype Ophelina groenlandica Støp-Bowitz, 1948 (SMNH T-7831). 1 specimen Ophelina norvegica Støp-Bowitz, 1945 (SMNH 11137).

Description Specimens 14–30 mm long, 1.0–1.8 mm wide, with 30–34 chaetigers. Prostomium conical, with well defined palpode which is apparently articulated ( Fig. 11a ; see also Augener 1912: fig. 9), and with a nuchal organ provided with a posterior lappet ( Fig. 11b ). No eyes observed. Parapodia well defined, with minute spherical dorsal cirrus and subulate ventral lobe ( Fig. 11c ). All chaetae capillaries. Branchiae characteristically abruptly tapered distally ( Fig. 11d ); size of branchiae increasing from second chaetiger to end of body, last pairs of branchiae substantially smaller ( Fig. 11e ). First and last three chaetigers lacking branchiae ( Fig. 11a, f ). A ciliated lateral organ between dorsal and ventral chaetae bundles ( Fig. 11e ). Anal tube short, cylindrical, slightly truncated and obliquely opened towards dorsal part of body ( Fig. 11f ).

Occurrence This species was found along the coast of Iceland, mostly between the 500 m and 1000 m isobaths (depth range 562–2710 m). Temperature range −0.77–5.18°C.

Figures

Fig. 9 Posterior body region in some Atlantic Ophelina species (redrawn from originals). a O. abranchiata (from Støp-Bowitz 1948). b O. bowitzi sp. nov. (from Fauvel 1914, as A. arctica). c O. delapidans longicephala (from Hartmann- Schröder 1977). d O. groenlandica (from Støp-Bowitz 1948). e O. helgolandica (from Augener 1912). f O. norvegica (from Støp-Bowitz 1945). g O. nybelini (from Eliason 1951)

Fig. 11 Ophelina helgolandica Augener (IMNH 24329, BIO- ICE sample 2579). a Anterior end, lateral view. b Detail of nuchal organ. c First chaetiger. d Chaetigers 2–3. e Last branchiate chaetiger; arrow marks position of lateral organ. f Posterior body region, lateral view; arrow marks position of last branchiate chae- tiger followed by three abranchiate chaetigers. Scale bars:(a, f) 1 mm; (b, c, e), 100 μm; (d) 200 μm