Haplosyllis uncinigera Grube, 1878

Lattig, Patricia & Martin, Daniel, 2009, A taxonomic revision of the genus Haplosyllis Langerhans, 1887 (Polychaeta: Syllidae: Syllinae), Zootaxa 2220, pp. 1-40 : 32-34

Haplosyllis uncinigera Grube, 1878

( Fig. 23 A–J)

Syllis uncinigera Grube, 1878: 113 –114.

Haplosyllis hainanensis Sun, 1996: 19 –20, fig. 2 a–f.— Sun and Yang, 2004: 317 –318, figs 185 a–h. New synonymy? Haplosyllis djiboutiensis .— Augener, 1913: 213

Examined material. Philippines, Bohol: Holotype ZMB F.1977, coll. Grube.

Syntypes of Haplosyllis hainanensis . South China Sea, Haianan Islands. Yezhu Island: 1 specimen SMF 10856, among Serpulidae , March 1992; 1 specimen SMF 10855, among dead corals, March 1992; 3 specimens SMF 10857, among corals and crinoids, 6–11 m, November 1990. Xincun Island: 2 specimens SMF 10858, among corals, 1–3 m, March 1992.

Description. (In parenthesis counts of H. hainanensis )

Holotype complete, length 3.2 cm, for 115 segments, width 1 mm ( Fig. 23 A). The body was fragile and flat due preservation conditions, and probably by many times observed at microscope. Syntypes of H. hainanensis in better conditions but most chaetae eroded at the tips; long and robust, length 2–3.2 cm for 55– 125 segments, width 1–1.4 mm. Few dorsal granules on most posterior segments, almost absent at midbody and anterior regions. Palps, prostomium and first anterior segments often dark-brown pigmented. Prostomium subpentagonal, with two pairs of small eyes in trapezoidal arrangement (difficult to see on holotype). Antennae all similar in length, median with 24 (20) articles and lateral with 23–24 (16) articles inserted on medium and anterior margin of prostomium, respectively. Palps long, broadly triangular, fused at their bases, clearly divergent all along their length. Sensory organs of palps and nuchal organs not seen. Pharynx orange, long, extending 18 (14–15) segments; anteriorly, with large tooth ( Fig. 23 A) and terminal crown of 10 soft papillae. Proventricle cylindrical, length 4 mm, extends for 10–11 chaetigers, width 0.8 mm, dark-brown, with muscular cell-rows obscured by body robustness Peristomium well defined, shorter than subsequent ones. Dorsal tentacular cirri longer than ventral ones, with 26 (14–22) and 13 (9) articles respectively. Dorsal cirri whip-shaped, similar to antennae and tentacular cirri. Anterior cirri long, longest one slightly exceed body width; first dorsal cirri long, with 36 (24–27) articles, second short, 20 (17–19) articles, third and fourth long, 30 (21–27) and 40 (27–29) articles, respectively, fifth broken, (> 25 (15–22) articles). Midbody cirri long, slightly alternating with long, for 29–33 (18–27) articles, and short, for 16–23 (12–22) articles, become shorter on posterior-most parapodia, with 3–8 (11–22) articles ( Fig. 23 D). Ventral cirri digitiform, anterior cirri equal in length to parapodial lobes ( Fig. 23 B), midbody cirri shorter ( Fig. 23 C). All chaetae bidentate, anterior ones much smaller ( Fig. 23 E); midbody parapodia with 2–3 chaetae; smallest one with short thin proximal tooth ( Fig. 23 G); largest chaetae with distal tooth much smaller than proximal one, angle between teeth narrow, giving unidentate appearance; MJP long, straight; LMF similar to SW ( Fig. 23 H). Aciculae of two types, one straight, other with curved upwards directed tips ( Figs 23 F, I–J); four to six aciculae per parapodia. Pygidium with two long anal cirri with about 13 articles.

Reproduction. Unknown.

Host. Unknown. The South China specimens were found from 1 to 11 m among serpulids, dead corals and crinoids, but no specific associations were reported.

Distribution. Philippines; South China Sea; probably Australia ( Augener 1913).

Remarks. Haplosyllis uncinigera was synonymized to H. spongicola ( Licher 1999) . However, its long body, the number of segments occupied by the pharynx and proventricle and, especially the chaetal shape and its geographical distribution, suggests it is a valid species.

Haplosyllis hainanensis , from South China Sea, is here considered as a synonymy of H. uncinigera . The South China specimens have up to three chaetae on each parapodium (most of them with broken or eroded tips); depending on the position in which chaetae is being observed, the two larger ones appear to be as unidentate; when chaetae is in lateral position, it is possible to observe the short distal tooth. Additionally, some specimens of H. hainanensis were brown pigmented on the anterior region.

The Australian specimens reported by Augener (1913) as Haplosyllis djiboutiensis , probably belong to H. uncinigera , due the chaetal shape and geographical distribution. H. djiboutiensis is here considered a valid species, differing from H. uncinigera in terms of chaetal shape, and the length of pharynx and proventricle (see remarks of H. djiboutiensis ).

Figures

FIGURE 23. Haplosyllis uncinigera. A—anterior end, dorsal view; B—anterior parapodium; C—midbody parapodium; D—posterior end, dorsal view; E—anterior chaetae; F—anterior aciculae; G—smaller chaeta, midbody; H—largest chaetae, mid- body; I—posterior most acicula; J—aciculae, midbody. Scale bars: A = 500 Μm; D = 200 Μm; B – C = 100 Μm; E – J = 20 Μm.