Caulleriella venefica Doner & Blake, 2006

Blake, James A., 2021, New species and records of Caulleriella (Annelida, Cirratulidae) from shelf and slope depths of the Western North Atlantic Ocean, Zootaxa 4990 (2), pp. 253-279 : 268-271

Caulleriella venefica Doner & Blake, 2006

Figure 8

Caulleriella B: Maciolek-Blake et al. 1985: B-5.

Caulleriella venefica Doner & Blake 2006: 66–67 , Figs. 1 , 5B, E ; Blake & Magalhães 2019: 382–383, Fig. 7.3.1.5.17B.

Material examined. (406 specimens) Northeastern USA. New York, Atlantic Ocean, off Jones Beach, Long Island, coll. I. P. Williams: Sta. 02-1, 27 Aug 2005, 40°32.8921′N, 73°26.7373′W, 53.6 m (50, MCZ 161685 ) ; Sta. 04-1, 27 Aug 2005, 40°32.2574′N, 73°26.2046′W, 61.4 m (11, MCZ 161686 ) ; Sta. 11-1, 27 Aug 2005, 40°33.1763′N, 73°25.2151′W, 67.1 m (12, MCZ 161687 ) ; Sta. 13-1, 26 Aug 2005, 40°32.0373′N, 73°24.8685′W , 65.0 m (10, MCZ 161688 ); Sta. 14-1, 27 Aug 2005, 40°32.8649′N, 73°24.6780′W, 57.9 m (27, MCZ 161689 ) ; Sta. 18-1, 27 Aug 2005, 40°34.4606′N, 73°20.5860′W, 62.1 m (10, MCZ 161690 ) ; Sta. 20-1, 26 Aug 2005, 40°32.5438′N, 73°23.8709′W, 55.7 m (12, MCZ 161691 ); Sta. 28-1, 26 Aug 2005 , 40°33.7790′N, 73°19.4410′W, 62.9 m (16, MCZ 161692 ); Sta. 29-1, 26 Aug 2005 , 40°32.5810′N, 73°22.4412′W, 63.0 m (12, MCZ 161693 ); Sta. 32-1, 27 Aug 2005 , 40°34.0382′N, 73°22.0921′W, 60.0 m (23, MCZ 161694 ); Sta. 35-1, 26 Aug 2005 , 40°32.9924′N, 73°21.5735′W, 62.9 m (10, MCZ 161695 ); Sta. 37-1, 26 Aug 2005 , 40°33.9938′N, 73°21.0607′W, 57.9 m (7, MCZ 161696 ); Sta. 61-1, 27 Aug 2005 , 40°33.3697′N, 73°23.7731′W, 60.0 m (15, MCZ 161697 ).— Connecticut, Millstone, Power Plant Effluent , coll. Battelle field team, Jun 1979 , 41°18.48′N, 72°9.96′W, 15–20 m in sand: sample 1701 (1, MCZ 161698 ); 1702 (7, MCZ 161699 ); 1705 (3, MCZ 161700 ); 1707 (1, MCZ 161701 ), 1708 (8, MCZ 1617012 ); 1709 (3, MCZ 161703 ).— Off Massachusetts, Georges Bank, MMS Benthic Infauna Monitoring Program , coll. G.W. Hampson, Chief Scientist: Sta. 2: Cruise M 1, Rep 4, Jul 1981 , 40°59.0′N, 66°55.8′W, 79 m (5, USNM 1642656 ); Cruise M 2, Rep. 6, 14 Nov 1981 , 40°59.2′N, 66°55.9′W, 70 m (1, USNM 1642657 ); Cruise M 4, Rep. 1, 12 May 1982 , 40°59.1′N, 66°55.9′W, 66 m (1, USNM 1642658 ); Rep. 2 (7, USNM 1642659 ); Rep. 3 (3, USNM 1642660 ); Cruise M 6, Rep. 1, 22 Nov 1982 , 40°59.2′N, 66°55.9′W, 71 m (6, USNM 1642661 ); Rep. 2, (5, 1642662); Cruise M 7, Rep. 1, 07 Feb 1983 , 40°59.2′N, 66°55.9′W, 71 m (1, USNM 1642663 ); Rep. 3, (5, USNM 1642664 ); Rep. 4 (5, USNM 1642665 ); Rep. 5 (2, USNM 1642666 ); Rep. 6 (2, USNM 1642667 ); Cruise M 8, Rep. 1, 13 May 1983 , 40°59.3′N, 66°55.9′W, 73 m (1, USNM 1642668 ); Rep. 3 (1, USNM 1642669 ); Cruise M 9, Rep. 1, 14 Jul 1983 , 40°59.2′N, 66°55.8′W, 79 m (2, USNM 1642670 ); Rep. 2 (6, USNM 1642671 ); Rep. 3 (1, USNM 1642672 ); Rep. 4 (3, USNM 1642673 ); Cruise M 10, Rep. 1, 15 Nov 1983 , 40°59.2′N, 66°55.8′W, 79 m (2, USNM 1642674 ); Rep. 5 (4, USNM 1642675 ). Sta. 5-1: Cruise M 1, Rep. 2, Jul 1981 , 40°39.4′N, 67°46.4′W, 81 m (4, USNM 1642676 ); Rep. 3 (3, USNM 1642677 ); Rep. 5 (2, USNM 1642678 ); Cruise M 2, Rep. 4, 19 Nov 1981 , 40°39.5′N, 67°45.7′W, 81 m (3, USNM 1642679 ); Cruise M 3, Rep. 4, 15 Feb. 1982 , 40°39.6′N, 67°45.9′W, 81 m (6, USNM 1642680 ); Cruise M 4, Rep. 2, 14 May 1982 , 40°39.5′N, 67°45.8′W, 80 m (4, USNM 1642681 ); Rep. 3 (12, USNM 1642682 ); Rep. 4 (3, USNM 1642683 ); Rep. 6 (5, USNM 1642684 ); Cruise M 5, Rep. 3, 26 Jul 1982 , 40°39.5′N, 67°45.9′W, 75 m (3, USNM 1642685 ); Cruise M 7, Rep. 2, 10 Feb 1983 , 40°39.5′N, 67°45.9′W, 81 m (6, USNM 1642686 ); Cruise M 8, Rep. 1, 17 May 1983 , 40°39.5′N, 67°45.9′W, 81 m (3, USNM 1642687 ); Rep. 2 (4, USNM 1642688 ); Rep. 4 (5, USNM 1642689 ); Rep. 5 (5, USNM 1642690 ); Rep. 6 (3, USNM 1642691 ); Cruise M 9, Rep. 4, 16 Jul 1983 , 40°39.5′N, 67°46.2′W, 84 m (7, USNM 1642692 ); Rep. 5 (4, USNM 1642693 ); Rep. 6 (5, USNM 1642694 ); Cruise M 10, Rep. 1, 16 Nov 1983 , 40°39.5′N, 67°46.2′W, 84 m (11, USNM 1642695 ); Rep. 5 (1, USNM 1642696 ); Rep. 6 (2, USNM 1642697 ). Sta. 9: Cruise M 10, Rep. 1, 19 Nov 1983 , 40°26.7′N, 68°09.8′W, 144 m (1, USNM 1642698 ). Sta. 15: Cruise M 1, Rep. 4, Jul 1981 , 41°27.2′N, 68°00.7′W, 37 m (7, USNM 1642699 ); Rep. 5 (2, USNM 1642700 ); Rep. 6 (4, USNM 1642701 ); Cruise M 2, Rep. 1, 15 Nov. 1981 , 41°27.4′N, 68°00.5′W, 37 m (1, USNM 1642702 ); Rep. 2 (2, USNM 1642703 ); Rep. 3 (1, USNM 1642704 ). Sta. 16: Cruise M 1, Rep. 2, Jul 1981 , 40°34.2′N, 68°012.3′W, 142 m (1, USNM 1642705 ); Sta. 17: Cruise M 8, Rep. 3, 16 May 1983 , 40°35.0′N, 67°11.3′W, 141 m (1, USNM 1642706 ).— Specimens for SEM: Georges Bank Sta. 5-28: Cruise M 10, Rep. 4, 13 Nov. 1983 , 40°39.5′N, 67°41.7′W, 84 m (4, USNM 1642707 ) .

Description. A moderately-sized species, 11–15 mm long, 0.4–0.5 mm wide for 95–105 setigers. Body long, thickened throughout with narrow, crowded segments. Body dorsoventrally flattened with narrow ventral groove; typically coiled in preservation. Longitudinal muscles apparent along medial dorsal surface. Color in alcohol light tan to brown; no obvious pigmentation except dark internal area in prostomium, possibly indistinct nuchal pigmentation.

Pre-setiger region as long as first eight setigers. Prostomium unusually long, narrow, tapering to pointed tip ( Fig. 8A–E ); eyes absent; nuchal organs elongate lateral slits on posterior lateral margin. Peristomium enlarged, an achaetous single ring with one or two lateral grooves not crossing dorsum; surmounted by prominent dorsal crest extending from posterior margin of prostomium to setiger 1. Dorsal tentacles arising from posterior margin of peristomium; first pair of branchiae located posterior and lateral to tentacles; second pair of branchiae dorsal to notosetae, continuing throughout. Dorsal tentacles thick with ciliated groove; branchiae long, thin.

Parapodia of anterior setigers reduced to low rounded lobes, becoming low vertical ridges on segments with hooks; noto- and neuropodia widely separated. Notosetae of anterior setigers 4–6 thickened capillaries; bidentate hooks first present from setiger 13–14, with capillaries reduced to a single threadlike seta or entirely absent; up to two hooks per notopodium. Neuropodia with a single bidentate hook from setiger 9–10, increasing to two hooks per fascicle in posterior segments with single threadlike capillary. Hooks of noto- and neuropodia directed toward each other vis-á-vis; hooks with shaft curved on concave side; main fang with apical tooth narrow, short, hood absent ( Fig. 8G–H ).

Posterior end narrow, tapering; pygidium with two short anal cirri ( Fig. 8A, I ).

Methyl Green staining. Body stains uniformly; anterior half of prostomium not staining.

Remarks. Caulleriella venefica , an offshore shelf species, is most similar locally to C. nobska n. sp., a nearshore species. Both species share a pointed prostomium, an elongate peristomium with a dorsal crest, and bidentate hooks that lack a hood or sheath. However, the prostomium of C. venefica is longer, narrower, and more acutely pointed than that of C. nobska n. sp. Caulleriella venefica has maximally two instead of three hooks in posterior neuropodia and there are two anal cirri instead of none. In addition, the bidentate hooks of C. venefica have the main fang at a more acute angle than the 45° angle observed in C. nobska n. sp. Caulleriella venefica has a single thin capillary seta accompanying the hooks in middle and posterior setigers instead of these being entirely absent in C. nobska n. sp. The additional records recorded here suggest that the species is widespread throughout the northeastern United States in continental shelf depths having sandy sediments.

Biology and Habitat. On Georges Bank, Caulleriella venefica inhabits sediments having98–99%sand, consisting of primarily very coarse to medium-sized sand particles (Maciolek et al. 1985). The long pointed prostomium and narrow elongate body suggest that the species is adapted to burrowing through these larger sediment particles. Other specimens examined as part of this study are also from sediments having high sand inventories.

Distribution. Northeastern US continental shelf, 35– 145 m.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Caulleriella filiformia n. sp. Paratype (USNM 1642572); A, anterior end, dorsal view: Holotype (USNM 1642576): B, anterior end, dorsal view; C, posterior end, dorsal view; D, neuropodial hook; E, notopodial hook.

FIGURE 5. Caulleriella pintada n. sp. A, anterior end dorsolateral view; B, posterior end, lateral view; C–D, anterior end dorsal view; E, posterior end dorsal view; F, posterior segments, dorsal view; G, middle body segments with eggs; H, neuropodial hooks; I, notopodial hook and capillary. A–B, holotype (USNM 1642599); C–I, paratypes (USNM 1642600).

FIGURE 8. Caulleriella venefica Doner & Blake, 2006. A, Entire worm, coiled; B, anterior end, left lateral view; C, anterior end, left lateral view of another specimen; D, anterior end, ventral view; E, anterior end, frontal view; F, left lateral view of setigers 12–14, noto- and neuropodia with capillaries and hooks evident; G, two neuropodial hooks and one capillary; H, one neuropodial hook and one capillary; I, posterior end, left lateral view. SEMs from three specimens on stub from Georges Bank Sta. 5-28, Cruise M10, Rep. 4, coll. 13 Nov. 1983 (USNM 1642707).