Exogoninae

Guillermo San Martin, 2005, Exogoninae (Polychaeta: Syllidae) from Australia With the Description of a New Genus and Twenty-two New Species, Records of the Australian Museum 57, pp. 39-152 : 44-45

Key to genera of Australian Exogoninae

Two generic keys are given; one is based on reproductive and morphological characters, and the other based only on morphological characters. The order followed for descriptions is that of the first key. The order of description of species is that of the corresponding keys of each genus.

Key based on reproductive and morphological characters

1 Females brooding dorsally ............................................................................................................. 2

—— Females brooding ventrally, developing juveniles, or viviparous ................................................. 5

2 Brooding by means of compound notochaetae. Proventricle minute. Without pharyngeal tooth .................................................................................... Nooralia

—— Brooding by means of simple, capillary notochaetae. Proventricle long and wide. Pharyngeal tooth present, usually oval to rhomboidal ..................................................................................................................................... 3

3 Body smooth; two pairs of tentacular cirri. Antennae and dorsal cirri long .......................................................................................................................... Salvatoria

—— Body with papillae; single pair of tentacular cirri. Dorsal cirri usually short ................................................................................................................................... 4

4 Some dorsal cirri with a retractile cirrostyle. Antennae short. Pharynx relatively long and wide; pharyngeal tooth usually located far from anterior margin. Compound chaetae always with short, unidentate blades ................................................................................................... Prosphaerosyllis

—— Antennae and dorsal cirri more or less elongate, without distal cirrostyle. Pharynx relatively slender; pharyngeal tooth usually located near anterior margin. Compound chaetae with elongate blades, bidentate, unidentate and bidentate, or unidentate ............................ Erinaceusyllis n.gen.

5 Body smooth .................................................................................................................................. 6

—— Body covered with papillae ....................................................................................... Sphaerosyllis

6 Two pairs of tentacular cirri ................................................................................................. Brania

—— Single pair of tentacular cirri ......................................................................................................... 7

7 Palps fused on the basal half to 2 ⁄. Dorsal cirri bowling-pin 3 shaped. Distinct parapodial glands ........................................................................ Parapionosyllis

—— Palps usually fused all along their length or with terminal notch. Dorsal cirri small, papilliform. Parapodial glands indistinct or minute, apparently absent ................................................................................................. Exogone

Key based exclusively on morphological features

1 Two pairs of tentacular cirri ........................................................................................................... 2

—— Single pair of tentacular cirri ......................................................................................................... 4

2 Palps free from each other, except most basally. Proventricle minute. Pharyngeal tooth absent ....................................................................................... Nooralia

—— Palps fused at least on basal half. Proventricle distinct. Pharyngeal tooth present ................................................................................................................................... 3

3 Palps fused on basal half to 2 ⁄. Dorsal cirri bowling-pin shaped or 3 truncate. Parapodial glands distinct, sometimes inside dorsal cirri. Acicula distally rounded, apparently hollow at tip. Pharynx slender, with distal soft papillae. Pharyngeal tooth conical, located at opening ............................................................................................................................. Brania

—— Palps joined all along their length or mostly by a dorsal membrane. Dorsal cirri spindle-shaped, usually elongate. Parapodial glands absent. Acicula acuminate. Pharynx and proventricle long and wide; usually without papillae on pharyngeal opening. Pharyngeal tooth rhomboidal to ovate, usually located far from pharyngeal opening ............................................................................................................................ Salvatoria

4 Body without papillae .................................................................................................................... 5

—— Body papillate ................................................................................................................................ 6

5 Palps fused on basal half to 2 ⁄ 3. Dorsal cirri bowling-pin shaped. Parapodial glands distinct. Dorsal simple chaetae distally serrated ........................ Parapionosyllis

—— Palps usually fused all along their length or with a distal, short notch. Dorsal cirri small, papilliform. Parapodial glands indistinct. Dorsal simple chaetae otherwise ....................................................................................... Exogone

6 Prostomium with 4 eyes, without eyespots. Proventricle short, with few large muscular bands. Pharynx slender; pharyngeal tooth small, conical, located on anterior rim on pharynx. Antennae and dorsal cirri flask- to onion-shaped.Acicula distally with tip forming a right angle ................................................................................................................ Sphaerosyllis

—— Four eyes and 2 anterior eyespots on prostomium. Proventricle barrel-shaped, long and relatively wide, with numerous, slender muscular bands. Pharynx relatively large. Acicula acuminate ...................................................... 7

7 Pharynx distinctly wide, without papillae. Pharyngeal tooth rhomboidal to oval, long, usually located far from anterior rim. Antennae and dorsal cirri similar to Sphaerosyllis , but typically having an elongate cirrophore and a retractile cirrostyle. Compound chaetae always with short, unidentate falcigers ................................ Prosphaerosyllis

—— Pharynx proportionally more slender, sometimes with soft papillae surrounding opening. Pharyngeal tooth small, located near anterior rim. Antennae and dorsal cirri elongate, but sometimes similar to those of Sphaerosyllis , always without retractile cirrostyle. Compound chaetae usually with elongate blades bidentate, bidentate and unidentate, or unidentate ......................................................... Erinaceusyllis n.gen.