Nicon pettiboneae, León-González & Salazar-Vallejo, 2003

León-González, Jesús Angel De & Salazar-Vallejo, Sergio I., 2003, Four new nereidid species (Annelida, Polychaeta) collected during the MUSORSTOM cruises in the Indo-Pacific Ocean, Zoosystema 25 (3), pp. 365-375 : 373

Nicon pettiboneae n. sp. apical tooth directed downwards ( Fig. 4E ), and

( Fig. 4 ) three heterogomph falcigers ( Fig. 4F ).

Supracicular neurosetae in median parapodia

TYPE MATERIAL.— Loyalty islands. W Lifou, S baie include three homogomph spinigers and a hetedu Santal, CALSUB, stn PL9, 20°53’S, 167°03’E,

588 m, 27.II.1989, holotype (MNHN-POLY 75), rogomph falciger; infracicular ones a homo-

1 paratype (UANL 5081). gomph spiniger, one sesquigomph falciger and ETYMOLOGY.— The species is named to honor the three heterogomph falcigers. Supracicular neurogreat polychaetologist Marian H. Pettibone, who dedi- setae in posterior parapodia three homogomph cated part of her work to the study of nereidid poly- spinigers and one heterogomph falciger ( Fig.4G ); chaetes. infracicular ones two sesquigomph falcigers OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED.— New Caledonia. SW ( Fig.4H ) and three heterogomph falcigers.

île des Pins, CALSUB, stn PL19, 22°46’S, 167°20’E, Pygidium unknown.

410 m, 10. III.1989, 1 specimen (ECOSUR).

Philippines. MUSORSTOM 3, stn 99, 14°01’N,

120°19.5’E, 181-189 m, 1.VI.1985, 1 specimen REMARKS

(UANL 5082). Hutchings & Reid (1990) list nine species of DISTRIBUTION.— Known only from New Caledonia Nicon : N. abyssalis Hartman, 1967 , N. aestuarienregion and the Philippine Islands. sis Knox, 1951, N. japonicus Imajima, 1972 , N. maculata Kinberg, 1866 , N. moniloceras

DESCRIPTION Hartman, 1940, N. polaris Hartman, 1967 , The holotype is an incomplete specimen 2 mm N. rotunda Hutchings & Reid, 1990 , N. sinica long and 0.5 mm wide including parapodia, with Wu & Sun, 1979, and N. yaguinae Fauchald , 46 setigers. Prostomium pentagonal, with two 1977. Two of these species ( N. abyssalis and pairs of eyes in trapezoidal arrangement, and a N. polaris ) are poorly known and their generic pair of short frontal antennae. A pair of biarticu- affinities are doubtful. Since that publication, no late palps, with conical palpostyles. Peristomium other species has been described. Most species longer than next two segments, with four pairs of have been described from the Pacific Ocean with tentacular cirri, longest reaching setiger five some probably spurious records from other loca- ( Fig.4A ). Pharynx without paragnaths or papillae. lities. Nicon pettiboneae n. sp. differs from other species by the presence of neuropodial infracicular sesquigomph falcigers in all parapodia. Only N. moniloceras and N. pettiboneae n. sp. share reduced dorsal ligule on posterior setigers, but they differ in the annulations of tentacular cirri, and the shape of falcigers.

Figures

FIG. 4. — Nicon pettiboneae n. sp.; A, anterior region, dorsal view; B, setiger 10, anterior view; C, setiger 29, anterior view; D, setiger 45, anterior view; E, neuropodial infracicular sesquigomph falciger from anterior parapodium; F, heterogomph falciger from same; G, neuropodial supracicular heterogomph falciger from posterior parapodia; H, neuropodial infracicular sesquigomph falciger from same. Scale bars: A, 0.1 mm; B-D, 100 µm; E-G, 15 µm; H, 30 µm.