Harmothoe serrata Day, 1963

Barnich, Ruth & Fiege, Dieter, 2009, Revision of the genus Harmothoe Kinberg, 1856 (Polychaeta: Polynoidae) in the Northeast Atlantic, Zootaxa 2104 (1), pp. 1-76 : 62

Harmothoe serrata Day, 1963

( Figs. 2 , 30A–J )

Harmothoe lagiscoides serrata Day, 1963: 387 , fig. 1g –m; Day (1967): 69, fig. 1.10.f–j; Barnich & Fiege (2000): 1917 , fig. 14A–D; Barnich & Fiege (2003): 49, fig. 24A–D.

Harmothoe serrata: Barnich et al. (2006) : 59.

Harmothoe notochaetosa López and San Martín, 1996: 183 , figs. 1, 2.

Type material. Harmothoe lagiscoides serrata : holotype, BMNH 1963.1.2: SE Atlantic, W coast of Cape Province, 33°06,4’S 17°47,2’E, 141 m, leg. and det. Prof. J.H.Day.

Harmothoe notochaetosa : holotype, MNCN 16.01/3077: W Mediterranean, Puerto de Isla de Isabel II, Islas Chafarinas, España, 3 m, 35°10’48’’N 2°25’03’’W, September 1991, leg. López and San Martìn, (all elytra missing) . Paratypes (in poor condition): 1spm., MNCN 16.01/3078, Isla Rey Francisco , Islas Chafarinas, 6 m, 8 September 1992. 1 spm., MNCN 16.01/3079, Isla Isabel II, Islas Chafarinas, 24 m, 22 June 1993 .

Diagnosis. Anterior pair of eyes dorsolateral at widest part of prostomium. Elytral margin with long fringing papillae; surface covered by thorn-shaped pointed microtubercles and few scattered papillae, with a row of slender thorn-shaped macrotubercles near posterior margin.

Description (based on holotype of H. lagiscoides serrata , holotype, BMNH 1963.1.2, except for antennae based on H. notochaetosa , holotype, MNCN 16.01/3077).

Body with 30 segments (last few segments missing). At anterior end ( Fig. 30A ), prostomium bilobed, with distinct cephalic peaks; ceratophore of median antenna in anterior notch, lateral antennae inserted ventrally, styles of antennae papillate, tapering to filiform tip; anterior pair of eyes situated dorsolaterally at widest part of prostomium, posterior pair dorsally near hind margin of prostomium; palps papillate, tapering.

Tentaculophores inserted laterally to prostomium, each with two notochaetae and a dorsal and ventral tentacular cirrus, styles of cirri papillate, tapering to filiform tip. Second segment with first pair of elytra, biramous parapodia, and long buccal cirri. Following segments with tapering, short ventral cirri.

Fourteen pairs of elytra, covering dorsum, on segments 2, 4, 5, 7, then on every second segment to 23, 26, 29 (last few segments missing); elytral margin with long fringing papillae; surface covered by thorn-shaped pointed microtubercles and few scattered papillae, with a row of slender thorn-shaped macrotubercles near posterior margin ( Fig. 30B,C ). Cirrigerous segments with distinct dorsal tubercles; dorsal cirri with cylindrical cirrophore, style papillate, tapering to filiform tip.

Parapodia biramous; notopodia with elongate acicular lobe; neuropodia with elongate prechaetal acicular lobe with digitiform supra-acicular process; neuropodial postchaetal lobe shorter than prechaetal lobe, rounded; tips of noto- and neuroacicula penetrating epidermis ( Fig. 30D ). Notochaetae stouter than neurochaetae, with distinct rows of spines and blunt tip ( Fig. 30E,F ); neurochaetae with distinct rows of spines, mostly bidentate with small secondary tooth, some upper and lower unidentate ( Fig. 30G–J ).

Measurements. H. lagiscoides serrata , holotype, BMNH 1963.1.2: L 20 mm, W 3.5 mm for 30 segments (af with last few segments missing; Fig. 30A–J ). H. notochaetosa , holotype, MNCN 16.01/3077: L 6.5 mm, W 2.5 mm for 24 chaetigers (af); paratype, MNCN 16.01/3079: L 5.5 mm, W 1.5 mm for 18 chaetigers (af).

Distribution. Mediterranean Sea and Southeast Atlantic (off South Africa).

Habitat. On hard substrates, down to 141 m.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Identification characters of Leucia violacea, Harmothoe fraserthomsoni, Leucia nivea, Acanthicolepis asperrima, Harmothoe aspera, and H. serrata.

FIGURE 30. Harmothoe serrata (holotype, BMNH 1963.1.2). (A) anterior end; styles of median and lateral antennae, left dorsal tentacular cirrus, and left and right dorsal cirri missing; (B) right elytron from unknown segment; (C) detail of posterior margin of same; (D) right cirrigerous parapodium from unknown segment, posterior view, style of dorsal cirrus missing; (E) long notochaeta; (F) tip of same; (G) middle neurochaeta; (H) tip of same; (I) tip of upper neurochaeta; (J) tip of lower neurochaeta. (Scale: A, B = 1 mm; C, D, E, G = 250 µm; F, H–J = 50 µm).