Pareulepis malayana ( Horst, 1913 )

Woolley, Skipton & Wilson, Robin S., 2011, Two new species of Eulepethidae (Polychaeta) from Australian seas, Zootaxa 2839, pp. 47-66 : 59-60

Pareulepis malayana ( Horst, 1913)

Eulepis malayana Horst, 1913: 154 , figure 2.

Pareulepis malayana .— Pettibone, 1969: 12, figures 6–10; Pettibone, 1986: 24 (full synonymy).

Material examined. Australia: Western Australia (Indian Ocean coast): Jurian Bay region, L10 400, Stn SS07/ 2005 126, 29 º51.617´S 114º22.317´E, 2 Jan 2005, 499 m, Smith-McIntyre Grab, 1 specimen, MV F162463; Two Rocks region, T4 400, Stn SS07/2005 136, 31 º39.700´S 114º58.87´E, 4 Aug 2005, 403 m, Smith-McIntyre Grab, 2 specimens, MV F185646; off Barrow Island, Stn SS10/2005 170, 20 º59.083´S 114º54.417´E, 13 Jan 2005, 101 m, beam trawl, 1 specimen, MV F 161028; off Pelsart Island, near Geraldton, Stn SS07 2005 122, 29 º0.167´S 113º46.433´E, 2 Jan 2005, 409 m, Sherman sled, 1 specimen, MV F 161277; Indian Ocean, Bunbury region, L13 400, SS07/2005 152, 32 º59.92´S 114º34.57´E, 6 Aug 2005, 417 m, Smith-McIntyre Grab, 3 specimens, MV F185643; Bunbury region, L13 400, Stn SS07/2005 153, 33 º0.02´S 114º34.730´E, 7 Aug 2005, 399 m, Smith- McIntyre Grab, 5 specimens, MV F185650.

Description of variation. Size range of material examined (based on 3 entire specimens, the remainder are fragments apparently within this size range): 23–32 mm long, 3.5–5.4 mm wide including parapodia, 2,1–3.3 mm wide excluding parapodia, 34–36 segments. Elytrae 12 pairs on segments 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21 and 24, becoming more elongate towards the posterior end. First pair of elytrae with 4–15 papillae on the anterior margin, elytrae 2 to 12 with distinct lateral notches on lateral margin. Elytron 2 with 1–2 notches, elytron 8 with 1–2 notches, and elytron 12 with 1–3 notches. Upper neurochaetae of posterior segments slightly darker and thicker than those in ventral positions.

Distribution and habitat. Previously recorded from the Malay Archipelago and from Vietnam, from 22–94 metres ( Gallardo, 1968; Pettibone, 1986); that distribution is here extended to the Indian Ocean coast of Western Australia to 29ºS and a maximum depth of 499 metres.

Discussion. The material reported here from the Indian Ocean coast of Western Australia conforms closely to the description and figures of Pettibone (1969); only variations in descriptive characters are reported above. This material extends the range both latitudinaly (from 5ºS to 29ºS) and bathymetrically (maximum depth from 94 to 499 metres).