Bispira porifera ( Grube, 1878 )

Capa, María & Murray, Anna, 2015, A taxonomic guide to the fanworms (Sabellidae, Annelida) of Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, including new species and new records, Zootaxa 4019 (1), pp. 98-167 : 104-106

Bispira porifera ( Grube, 1878)

( Fig. 2 G–I)

Sabella porifera Grube, 1878: 252 , pl. 14, fig. 3.

Bispira porifera .— Knight-Jones & Perkins 1998: 426 –428, fig. 16; Capa 2008: 307 –309, figs 2–3, 4A–F.

Material examined. AM W.36960, Queensland, Lizard Island, channel bommies, 14°41′18′′S, 145°27′50′′E, coral rubble, 12 m, 25 Aug 2010. Other specimens cited in Capa (2008).

Description of material examined. Specimens up to 130 mm long, 5 mm wide, with eight thoracic and numerous abdominal chaetigers. Live specimens bright yellow with red transverse bands on radiolar crown, some red pigment on ventral sacs and on inside surface of ventral lappets, collar white, and dorsal spongy cushions yellow, red and white ( Fig. 2 G–I). Small, almost inconspicuous interramal eyespots on abdominal chaetigers. There is some variability in the width of red bands in crown and pigmentation of the spongy cushions, but all specimens from Lizard Island examined had same colour-morph. No pink specimens found in Lizard Island area (as in Capa 2008). Preserved specimens lose the white pigmentation and the red pigment turns brown. Radiolar crown with both lobes involuted ventrally up to one whorl, with several radioles each. Dorsal and ventral flanges absent ( Fig. 2 G–H). Basal membrane up to 1/3 of the length of the radiolar crown, radiolar flanges reduced. Over 10 vacuolated cells supporting radioles basally. Radiolar eyes absent. Dorsal lips with long radiolar appendages, two or three dorsal pinnular appendages present. Ventral lips and parallel lamellae present, ventral sacs prominent and directed outside of crown ( Fig. 2 G). Collar with well developed dorsal margins, widely separated dorsally, midventral incision separating ventral lappets ( Fig. 2 G). Glandular ridge on anterior chaetigers absent. Thoracic ventral shields in contact with adjacent tori, first shield with W-shaped anterior margin ( Fig. 2 G). Collar chaetae narrowly-hooded, in two oblique rows. Following thoracic chaetigers with conical notopodia, superior thoracic chaetae narrowly-hooded, inferior chaetae spine-like. Thoracic neuropodial uncini avicular, with small teeth surmounting main fang on half its length, well developed breast and short handle; companion chaetae with asymmetrical distal hood and almost smooth surface. Abdominal neuropodia short, conical, bearing superior narrowly-hooded chaetae and spine-like inferior chaetae in a short C-shaped arrangement. Abdominal uncini similar to thoracic ones, with slightly less developed breast. Pre-pygidial abdominal depression absent. Pygidium as rim with midventral anus, and lateral groups of eyespots. Pygidial cirrus absent. Tube is mainly chitinous, translucent and orange or brown, with the anterior part covered by mud.

Remarks. This species is characterised by the presence of a spongy structure on the dorsum of the anterior thoracic chaetigers, variable in size and pigmentation, a feature which is unique among Australian congeners and only shared with B. paraporifera Tovar-Hernández & Salazar-Vallejo, 2006 , from the Caribbean. The latter species is distinguishable from B. porifera by the presence of radiolar eyes. According to Knight-Jones and Perkins (1998), the species could be widespread in the warmer waters of the Indo-Pacific. It was previously recorded from Cape York in Queensland by Augener (1922). First record from Lizard Island.

Habitat. Associated with coral or coral rubble in shallow water (1–15 m).

Type locality. Philippines.

Distribution. Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, Zanzibar, Red Sea, Mozambique, Madagascar, Australia (Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland).

Figures

FIGURE 2. A – F. Bispira manicata. A. Live specimen with exposed radiolar crown; B. Detail for paired compound radiolar eyes (arrow); C. Anterior thoracic chaetigers, ventral view; D. Same, dorsal view; E. Detail of thoracic parapodia; F. Detail of abdominal parapodia showing neuropodial chaetae arranged in a C-shaped pattern; G – I. Bispira porifera, live specimens. G. Anterior end, ventral view; H. Same dorsal view, showing the conspicuous spongy cushion-like dorsal structures (arrow); I. Complete specimen, dorsal view; J – M. Bispira serrata, preserved specimen; J. Anterior end ventral view; K. Same, dorsal view, showing well separated dorsal collar margins; L. Detail of base of radiolar crown and collar, with conspicuous ventral sacs located outside of crown; M. Detail of radioles with serrated radiolar flanges and compound paired radiolar eyes (arrow). Photographs by: A – Alexander Semenov; B – F, J – M – Eunice Wong; I – Gary Cranitch.