Megasyllis heterosetosa ( Hartmann-Schröder, 1991 ), Hartmann-Schroder, 1991

Aguado, M. Teresa, Murray, Anna & Hutchings, Pat, 2015, Syllidae (Annelida: Phyllodocida) from Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, Zootaxa 4019 (1), pp. 35-60 : 46

Megasyllis heterosetosa ( Hartmann-Schröder, 1991)

( Figs 5 D–E)

Typosyllis (Typosyllis) heterosetosa Hartmann- Schröder, 1991: 30, figs 30–35.

Megasyllis heterosetosa .— San Martín et al. 2008b: 8, figs 9A–F, 10A–E; 2014: 341.

Material examined. AM W.44780, MI QLD 2400.

Remarks. Live specimen bright yellow, similar colour pattern to M. inflata (Marenzeller, 1879) ( Fig. 5 D). Some photographs taken by Paul Human of live specimens from Australia have been identified as M. corruscans (Haswell, 1885) and M. inflata by Aguado & Glasby (2015). These species and also M. heterosetosa , as shown herein ( Fig. 5 D), have a white area on the dorsum of first segments. In these photos, this white area appears to reflect green light. In order to check possible fluorescence properties of Megasyllis species, this specimen from Lizard Island was subjected to fluorescent green light. However, it did not reflect any extra light ( Fig. 5 E). Considering this negative result, we can conclude that the green bright light seen in photos of live specimens is possibly due to an optical artefact. First report for Lizard Island.

Habitat. Coralline and muddy sand and sea grasses, in intertidal to subtidal depths.

Distribution. Australia (Queensland, New South Wales), Japan.

Figures

FIGURE 5. A. Exogone africana AM W. 45201, dorsal view; B. Prosphaerosyllis longipapillata AM W. 45202, dorsal view; C. Paraopisthosyllis phyllocirra AM W. 44771, dorsal view; D. Megasyllis heterosetosa AM W. 44780, dorsal view; E. Megasyllis heterosetosa under fluorescent green light, dorsal view; F. P arasphaerosyllis indica AM W. 44422, pygidium, dorsal view. Scale bars: F = 50 µm.