Spiraserpula caribensis Pillai & ten Hove, 1994

Bastida-Zavala, Rolando, 2012, Serpula and Spiraserpula (Polychaeta, Serpulidae) from the Tropical Western Atlantic and Gulf of Guinea, ZooKeys 198, pp. 1-23 : 9-10

Spiraserpula caribensis Pillai & ten Hove, 1994 Figs 7 A–D 8

Spiraserpula caribensis Pillai & ten Hove 1994:68-76, Figs 3L, 14 A–M, 15 A–Y, 16 A–K, Pls. 4 E–F, 5 A–E.

Type locality.

Awa Blancu, Curaçao.

Material examined.

Panama Caribbean. One specimen (ECOSUR P0615) Colon, Club Náutico, fouling prospection, June 3, 2002, S.I. Salazar-Vallejo leg. Mexican Caribbean. Nine specimens (ECOSUR P0614, P0616), two specimens (UMML 22.1061), two specimens (UMAR-Poly 110), Playa Azul, Cozumel, coral rock, 10 m, March 25, 2001, leg. H.A. ten Hove.

Description.

Some specimens forming tube aggregations; others were found isolated. Tubes sinuous or spiraled (Fig. 7A), with two internal ridges: mid-dorsal o ne smooth, mid-ventral one serrated (Fig. 7 B–C), occasionally with two internal lateral ridges (Fig. 7D). Some tubes externally pinkish, others with two dorsal pink bands (Fig. 7 A–B). Body brown to dark brown (preserved material only). The worms are damaged. Branchial crowns lost. Thorax with eight chaetigers, including collar fascicles. Abdomen damaged.

Distribution.

Caribbean, Florida and Pacific of Panama.

Ecology.

Intertidal to sublittoral, 10 m. On coral debris. Pillai and ten Hove (1994) recorded the species from 0-18 m deep.

Remarks.

Spiraserpula caribensis is easily distinguishable from the other Caribbean species by their pink tubes (Fig. 7A).