Neopsammolyce floccifera ( Augener, 1906 )

Cruz-Gómez, Christopher, 2022, Pelogeniinae Chamberlin, 1919 (Annelida, Sigalionidae) from the Grand Caribbean Region, European Journal of Taxonomy 807, pp. 1-59 : 19-20

Neopsammolyce floccifera ( Augener, 1906)

Figs 2G–H , 7–8

Psammolyce floccifera Augener, 1906: 109 , pl. 2 figs 24–30.

Psammolyce arenosa – Augener 1933: 193. — Hartman 1944: 14 (partim, non delle Chiaje 1830). Neopsammolyce floccifera – Pettibone 1997: 15, figs 9–10 (comb. nov., redescription).

Material examined

VENEZUELA • 1 incomplete spec., 54 segments, 2.6 cm long, 1.7 cm to segment 30, 0.6 cm wide; off Las Isletas; 10º20′ N, 65º02′ W; R/V Pillsbury, Stn 727; depth 64 m; 21 Jul. 1968; UMML 6806-727 .

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO • 1 incomplete spec., 22 segments, 0.7 cm long, 0.25 cm wide; off Tobago Island; 11°11′ N, 60°31′ W; R/V Pillsbury, Stn 842; depth 70 m; 1 Jul. 1969; UMML 22.1089 .

Description

BODY. Pale yellow, short, broad ( Fig. 7A ). Middorsal line covered with sand grains attached to adhesive papillae ( Fig. 7B ). Venter covered with short globular and long papillae ( Fig. 7C ).

PROSTOMIUM. Oval, wider than long. Two pairs of regular eyes, anterior eyes larger and covered by the median antennal ceratophore, an accessory pair of small eyes right below anterior eyes ( Fig. 7E ). Lateral antennae small, bulbous; ceratophores as long as style, dorsally fused with tentacular segment and

covered by median antennal ceratophore ( Fig. 7D ). Median antenna with bulbous ceratophore, slightly longer than prostomium, with dorsal ridges; style long, 3× as long as prostomium. Middorsal lobe of segment II with longitudinal ridge ( Fig. 7A ). Facial tubercle short, visible between palps ( Fig. 7F ). First segment directed anteriorly; fused with tentacular segment (right and left parapodia fused anteriorly); biramous, chaetae simple verticillate. Dorsal tentacular cirrus longer than neuropodia including chaetae, ventral tentacular cirrus slightly shorter than dorsal one, but longer than neuropodia; palps short, reaching segment three, with inner palpal sheaths ( Fig. 7C ).

ELYTRA. First right elytron subrectangular, mid-proximally notched, covered with sand and three kinds of papillae ( Fig. 8E ): pedunculate papillae with truncated tip, more abundant in elytral center; long and short dendritic papillae along margins. Second right and left elytra missing. Posterior elytra round ( Fig. 8F ), surface with flat papillae, short, and long dendritic papillae, with one small lateral process ( Fig. 8J–K ), elytral margins with long dendritic papillae ( Fig. 8H ). Another posterior elytron round, with a medial process ( Fig. 8G ), elytral margins with very long dendritic papillae ( Fig. 8I ).

RIGHT PARAPODIUM FROM SEGMENT II ( Fig. 7G ). Notopodia conical, smooth (non-papillate), short, slightly shorter than neuropodia, notopodial flange leaf-shaped. With up to 100 simple verticillate notochaetae, shortest ones 3 × as long as notopodia, longest ones thicker, 4 × as long ( Fig. 7H ). Neuropodia leafshaped, papillate, larger than notopodia. Neurochaetae only falcate falcigers, units A–D undifferentiated, 16 falcigers with handles slender, completely covered with denticules, blades long, 30 × as long as wide ( Fig. 7I ).

RIGHT PARAPODIUM FROM SEGMENT III ( Fig. 7J ). Notopodia conical, smooth (non-papillate), short, ⅓ as long as neuropodia, notopodial flange large, leaf-shaped. With up to 70 simple verticillate notochaetae, shortest ones twice as long as notopodia, longest ones 3× as long ( Fig. 7K ). Neuropodia conical, papillate, larger than notopodia. Neurochaetae only bifid falcigers: unit A, two falcigers with handles thick with 3 transverse rows of spines, blades medium-sized, 5–6× as long as wide ( Fig. 7L ); unit B, eight falcigers with handles thick with 3–5 transverse rows of spines, blades medium-sized, 8–9× as long as wide ( Fig. 7M ); unit C, four falcigers with handles slender, smooth, blades long, 20× as long as wide ( Fig. 7N ); unit D, two falcigers with handles slender, smooth, blades medium-sized, 6 × as long as wide ( Fig. 7O ).

RIGHT PARAPODIUM FROM SEGMENT 43 (MIDDLE SEGMENT) ( Figs 7P , 8A ). Notopodia conical, smooth (nonpapillate), short, ⅓ as long as neuropodia. With up to 50 simple verticillate notochaetae, shortest ones as long as notopodia, longest ones twice as long ( Figs 7Q , 8B ). Neuropodia conical, papillate, larger than notopodia. Neurochaetae only bifid falcigers: unit A, six falcigers with handles thick, with 6–8 transverse rows of spines, blades long, 12 × as long as wide ( Figs 7R , 8C ); unit B, four falcigers with handles thick, with 2 transverse rows of spines, blades long, 10–12× as long as wide ( Figs 7S , 8D ); unit C, five falcigers with handles thick, smooth, blades short, 4–5 × as long as wide ( Fig. 7T ); subunit 2, six falcigers with handles thick, smooth, blades long, 8–10 × as long as wide ( Fig. 7U ); unit D, two falcigers with handles slender, smooth, blades medium-sized, 6–8 × as long as wide ( Fig. 7V ).

POSTERIOR REGION. Lost.

Remarks

The examined material agrees with N. floccifera described by Augener (1906) and redescribed by Pettibone (1997). According to Pettibone (1997), part of the material from the Caribbean Panamanian region, which was previously examined by Hartman (1944), and the specimen from Barbados examined by Augener (1933), both identified as P. arenosa , belong to N. floccifera .

Distribution

Caribbean Sea. From Florida to Venezuela.

Figures

Fig. 2. Elytral microstructures. A–B, E–F, M–N. Dayipsammolyce paulayi sp. nov. C–D, I–J. Pelogenia kinbergi (Hansen, 1882). G–H. Neopsammolyce floccifera (Augener, 1906). K–L. Neopsammolyce aff. floccifera. O–P. Hartmanipsammolyce pettiboneae sp. nov. Q–R. Pelogenia capitata sp. nov. A–H. Non-adherent microestructures. A–B. Microtubercles. C–D. Pedunculate papillae with puffed tips. E–F. Short dendritic papillae. G–H. Long dendritic papillae. I–R. Adherent papillae. I–J. Flat papillae. K–L. Pedunculate papillae with flat tip. M–N. Pedunculate papillae with truncated tips. O–P. Pedunculate globular papillae. Q–R. Pedunculate capitate papillae. Scale bars: A–B, N, Q–R = 10 μm; C–F, I–M, O = 20 μm; G–H = 100 μm; P = 5 μm.

Fig. 7. Neopsammolyce floccifera (Augener, 1906), non-type material (UMML 6806-727).A. Incomplete worm, dorsal view. B. Anterior end, dorsal view (insert: dorsal papillae). C. Anterior end, ventral view (insert: ventral papillae). D. Anterodorsal section of prostomium, arrowhead indicates lateral antenna. E. Prostomium, arrowheads indicate the three pairs of eyes. F. Anteroventral view of prostomium, arrowhead indicate facial tubercle. G. Right parapodium from segment II. H. Notochaeta from same. I. Units A–D. J. Right parapodium from segment III. K. Notochaeta from same. L. Unit A. M. Unit B. N. Unit C. O. Unit D. P. Right parapodium from segment 43. Q. Notochaeta from same. R. Unit A. S. Unit B. T. Unit C. U. Subunit 2. V. Unit D. Scale bars: A–C = 1 mm; D–F = 200 μm; G, J, P = 500 μm; H, K, Q = 40 μm; I, L–O, R–V = 50 μm.

Fig. 8. Neopsammolyce floccifera (Augener, 1906), non-type material (UMML 6806-727). A–D, J–K. SEM micrographsA. Right parapodium from segment 26. B. Notochaetae from same. C. Unit A.D. Unit B. E. First right elytron. F–G. Posterior elytra. H. Long dendritic papillae. I. Short dendritic papillae. J. Pedunculate papillae with flat tips. K. Flat papillae. Abbreviations: a = anterior; p = posterior. Scale bars: A = 200 μm; B = 2 μm; C–D, H–J = 20 μm; E–G = 1 mm; K = 50 μm.