Polycirrus purpureus Schmarda, 1861

Londoño-Mesa, Mario H., 2009, Terebellidae (Polychaeta: Terebellida) from the Grand Caribbean region 2320, Zootaxa 2320 (1), pp. 1-93 : 23-25

Polycirrus purpureus Schmarda, 1861

Figures 6 A-H.

Polycirrus purpureus, Schmarda, 1861:39 ; Pl. XXIV, Fig. 194.— Augener, 1925:37–38.

Polycirrus luminosus, Verrill, 1900:666 fide Hartman, 1959:518.— Holthe, 1986b:171.

Type material: YPM 1311 (4) Bermuda, 1901 ( Polycirrus luminosus as hypotypes, considered syntypes) .

Description: All specimens incomplete ( Fig. 6A ). Best syntype 11 segments; 8.2mm long and, 1.1mm wide. Dorsum smooth, swollen between segments 2 and 4 ( Fig. 6B ). Tentacles missing. Tentacular membrane in poor condition. Lower lip swollen, damaged. Seven pairs of nephridial papillae from segment 4, swollen, placed ventrally to notopodia. Seven pairs of ventral shields from segment 2 ( Figs 6C,D ). Ten pairs of notopodia, from segment 2, long, each with one small terminal cirrus. Notochaetae hirsute, thin, long with small striations ( Figs 6E,F ). Neuropodia rounded, from segment 10. Uncini MF:3:2–3:0–2 ( Figs 6G,H ); USr wide; SrP slightly visible, SrA absent, AP rounded; AF absent; Bs convex; PP rounded; PF absent; Cp slightly curved, with three rows of teeth over MF. Abdomen and pygidium absent.

Staining pattern: Ventral shields and base of notopodia stain deeply. Dorsum stains slightly on mid-thorax. Nephridial papillae and tentacular membrane remain pale.

Variations: Other syntype are also incomplete and in fragments: one with 25 pairs of notopodia; other with 24 pairs of notopodia. This total in number of segments means that the species has, at least, 24 pairs of notopodia. There are also some posterior fragments in poor condition, having smooth pygidium.

Discussion: The type specimens of P. purpureus Schmarda, 1861 was not borrowed for this research; thus, the description presented above is based on the syntypes of its junior synonym P. luminosus Verrill, 1900 , according to Augener (1925). Schmarda’s description was vague, but Augener (1925) presented a more complete redescription, indicating that P. purpureus has tentacles of two lengths, with swollen tips, a mid-ventral groove (median furrow) dividing 10 unequal ventral shields, 80 pairs of notopodia, 55 pairs of neuropodia although the segment on which they began was not well determined, and uncini MF:2:2. Finally, he mentioned that Polycirrus has many pairs of notopodia (in contrast to the other genera in the subfamily). Thus, with P. luminosus having an unusual high number of pairs of notopodia, it is likely to be the same species as P. purpureus . Further, P. purpureus differs from P. pennulifera Verrill, 1900 , in the number of pairs of notopodia and the segment on which the uncini first appear; Polycirrus pennulifera has 20 pairs of notopodia, and neuropodia begin on segment 21, and continue along 40 segments to close to pygidium.

Type locality: Southern Jamaica

Distribution: Jamaica and Bermuda.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Polycirrus purpureus. Type specimens of P. luminosus (Hypotype YPM 1311): A. General view. B. Thoracic region in lateral view. C-D. Thoracic region in ventral view. E. Fascicle of notochaetae from anterior thoracic region. F. Notochaeta from anterior thoracic region. G-H. Uncini from anterior thoracic region. Scale bars: A: 1.85mm; B,C,D: 1mm; E: 0.5mm; F: 0.05mm; G: 0.02mm.