Jasmineira agustinae, Tovar-Hernández & León-González & Hendrickx, 2025

Tovar-Hernández, María Ana, León-González, Jesús Angel De & Hendrickx, Michel E., 2025, Polychaeta collected during the research cruises TALUD aboard the R / V “ El Puma ” in the Mexican Pacific: Sabellidae and Serpulidae, Zootaxa 5663 (1), pp. 1-80 : 37-38

Jasmineira agustinae sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D45D405E-C4A0-4F1A-8B61-E864A6F08F5F

( Figs 19–21 , 39X–Z 1 )

Examined material. Type material. Holotype, ICML-EMU-14032: TALUD X, St. 5, KD, 28°14'50"N 112°24'53"W, 09 February 2007, 820– 837 m. Paratypes, ICML-EMU-14033A, 14033B and 14033C: same date as holotype. Paratypes, ICML-EMU-14034A: 14034B and 14034C, same date as holotype. Additional material. ICML-EMU-14035: TALUD X, St. 18, BC, 27°09'06"N 111°46'54"W, 12 February 2007, 1,540 m, 1 specimen .

Description. Body flattened dorso-ventrally ( Fig. 19F ). Trunk 23 mm long (13.3–23 mm), thorax 1 mm wide (0.5–1.4 mm). Branchial crown remarkably long, 12.3 mm (as long as 3/4 of the body length) ( Fig. 19A ). Thorax with eight chaetigers. Abdomen with 51 chaetigers (48 to 51 chaetigers). Paratypes with branchial crowns abscised latero-ventrally with diagonal break plane ( Fig. 19B, D–E , 20E ). Eight pairs of radioles (8–9 in paratypes with abscised crowns), four ventral radiolar appendages (1–6) and radiolar tips long, filiform ( Fig. 19C ), occupying space of 20–22 pinnules width. Base of branchial crown diagonal, being higher ventrally than dorsally ( Fig. 19D– E ). Abscised crowns with 8–9 pairs of radioles, base of radioles that remain attached to peristomium with 2–3 dorsal most radioles entire and 1–6 ventral radiolar appendages unequal in length ( Figs 19B, D–E , 20A–E ). Palmate membrane and radiolar flanges absent. Radiolar eyes absent. Parallel lamellae present, forming a subtriangular structure extending from the mid-ventral margin of collar to the base of branchial crown anteriorly ( Fig. 20B–C ), extending to ventral lips and surrounding the mouth ventrally. Lateral walls of parallel lamellae and internal wall of ventral lappets, both with brown, spongy tissue. Dorsal lips erect, triangular, with mid-rib. Ventral lips rounded. Lateral collar margins diagonal, entire ( Fig. 19D–E ), exposing the anterior peristomial ring with two vascular coils in each side (two vascular coils per side in paratype F, four coils per side in paratypes A–E) ( Figs 19D–E , 20A, D–G ). Ventral collar margins with a mid-incision, forming two subtriangular lappets whose internal margin runs toward the parallel lamellae ( Fig. 20B–C, E ). Dorsal collar margins fused to faecal groove, forming well developed pockets and two inverse “L” and exposing the anterior peristomial ring and vascular coils ( Fig. 20A ). Ventral shield of collar with a whitish rectangular base and two anterior triangles divided by mid-incision of collar margin ( Fig. 20E ). Glandular ridge on chaetiger 2 homogeneously narrow, whitish ( Fig. 20D ). Thoracic glandular shields rectangular, whitish. Collar chaetae (chaetiger 1) narrowly-hooded arranged in oblique rows. Thoracic chaetigers with two groups of notochaetae ( Fig. 21A ). Superior group of notochaetae composed of narrowly hooded chaetae ( Fig. 21B ), inferior group with a row of paleate chaetae with long mucros ( Figs 21A, C–D , 39X ) and a row of bayonet chaetae with broad hoods ( Figs 21E , 39Y ). Thoracic tori in contact with ventral shields. Thoracic neurochaetae acicular uncini with long handles and five equal size teeth above the main fangs, hoods absent ( Figs 21A, F–G , 39Z ). Abdominal chaetae with two groups of elongate, narrowly hooded chaetae, inferior group half shorter than superior group ( Fig. 21I ). Abdominal uncini with main fang surmounted by teeth of equal size, breast reduced to narrow swelling, long handle ( Figs 21H, J , 39Z 1 ). Pygidium triangular with a fragile cirrus ( Fig. 19F ) (present in paratypes A–B, D–E, lost in paratype C). Soft tubes covered with fine sand. Holotype with oocytes attached to the internal tube wall.

Etymology. This species is named after Agustina Ferrando Ostoni, a friend and colleague who took special care at collecting and preserving specimens of worms during her participation in TALUD cruises. The species-group name is a noun in the genitive case ( ICZN 1999, Art. 31.1.2).

Remarks. Jasmineira is a genus with 18 species after the recognition of J. filatovae Levenstein, 1961 in Potamethus ( Tovar-Hernández & Jirkov 2024) . Members of Jasmineira usually present an abscission zone (breaking plane) at the base of the branchial crown and vascular coils. The first feature is a pre-established zone of rupture where, under various circumstances, the branchial crown becomes detached from the body (Tovar-Hernández 2008, Capa et al. 2019). Vascular coils are known to deep-sea species of Fabrisabella and Jasmineira , as well as in Euchone analis Krøyer, 1856 ( Tovar-Hernández 2007) and Claviramus Fitzhugh, 2002 ( Tovar-Hernández et al. 2020). Vascular coils are circular to oval cameras situated dorso-laterally in each side of the peristomium; inside each translucent camera there are vessels than can be seen as a single curved tube or forming entire coils; their structure and function has not been studied yet, but it is very probable that they are vascularized by the central blood vessel according to Tovar-Hernández (2007). In literature, this organ can be found as “glandular tubular organ” ( McIntosh, 1916 for Jasmineira princei , cited as Chone ), “vascular loops” ( Tovar-Hernández 2007, Capa et al. 2019) or “vascular coils” ( Hartman 1969; Fauchald 1972; Fitzhugh 1989).

Only one species of Jasmineira has been reported for the Mexican Pacific: Jasmineira pacifica Annenkova, 1937 . Originally described form the Northern Sea of Japan to 2,900 m depth, it has been reported by González-Ortiz et al. (1996) and Solís-Weiss et al. (2000) from the Gulf of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca to 72 m depth. Unfortunately, diagnosis or illustrations were not provided by these authors in order to compare with the new species herein described, or with the information dealing with J. pacifica provided by Tovar-Hernández & Jirkov (2024).

Jasmineira agustinae sp. nov., fits well with the diagnosis of Jasmineira provided by Fitzhugh (1989) and Capa et al. (2019), except for the absence of hoods in thoracic uncini (uncini with hoods according to Fitzhugh (1989) and Capa et al. (2019)).

Jasmineira agustinae sp. nov., have 2 to 4 vascular coils per side (two coils per side in holotype and one paratype, four coils per side in five paratypes). In addition, some coils are well embedded within well defined translucent oval to circular membranes or sacs, but the vessels in others coils seem to be internally communicated. It is unknown if this variation is due to ontogeny or to any other factor. Consequently, the use of this feature to distinguish among species demand additional studies on variability and ontogeny.

Except for the holotype that has an entire, long branchial crown, paratypes have crowns typically abscised basally. The crown is as long as 3/4 of the body length. Perhaps it is autotomized to distract predators or to replace damaged parts. When fission occurs, only some ventral radiolar appendages and a couple of dorsal radioles remain intact, probably play a role in feeding while a complete regeneration occurs.

Capa & Murray (2015 a: table 3) provided a comparative table of the Jasmineira species. Based on the features they considered, comparatively Jasmineira agustinae sp. nov., present 8–9 pairs of radioles; four pairs of radiolar appendages; collar lateral incisions absent; collar mid-ventral incision present; collar ventral lappets low; subtriangular collar anterior margin smooth; vascular coils present, well-developed; 48–51 abdominal chaetigers and pygidial cirrus present. As the number of radioles, radiolar appendages and number of abdominal chaetigers may be size-dependent variables, the shape of collar seems to be the most useful feature to distinguish species.

Among the species that have collar with ventral lappets, in four species these structures are elongate ( J. analis Ehlers, 1908 , J. bilobata Day, 1973 , J. lobata Fitzhugh, 2002 and J. princei McIntosh, 1916 ) whereas in J. elegans Saint-Joseph, 1894 , J. filiformis Hartman, 1965 , J. kikuchi Nishi, Tanaka, Tovar-Hernández & Giangrande, 2009 , J. pacifica Annenkova, 1937 , J. regularis Hartman, 1978 and Jasmineira agustinae sp. nov., ventral lappets are low. In J. kikuchi ventral lappets are squared, of the same height as lateral collar margins; in J. elegans and J. regularis lappets are rounded, but slightly overlapped in the second species; in J. pacifica the ventral margin of collar was described as “The collar on the ventral side is high, covering the base of the radioli, clearly deeply cut into 2 lobes located one on top of the other on the ventral side” (translation of Russian from Annenkova, 1937: 195–196); in J. filiformis the shape of ventral lappets was not described or illustrated by Hartman (1965), but the dorsal collar margins are not fused to faecal groove and anterior peristomial ring is fully exposed dorsally ( Hartman, 1965: pl. 52, fig. a).

The new species here proposed, Jasmineira agustinae sp. nov., is unique by having ventral lappets subtriangular, extending to long parallel lamellae, as well as dorsal collar margins fused to faecal groove, forming well developed pockets and two inverse “L”, exposing the anterior peristomial ring and the vascular coils.

Abiotic conditions. The specimens of J. agustinae sp. nov., were collected from 820‒1,540 m deep, under the following environmental conditions. Temperature: 3.17‒4.94°C; salinity: 34.53‒34.59; dissolved oxygen: 0.11‒0.51 ml O 2 /l; %MO: 7.13‒8.01; sediments dominated by silt (78.6%) ( Table 1).

Distribution. Central Gulf of California, Mexico.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Bispira beatrizae sp. nov. A) Trunk, ventro-lateral view, B) body, lateral view, C) thorax, lateral view, D) same, ventral view, E) same, dorsal view. Abbreviation: 1, 2, 3—refers to the number of chaetiger. Scale bars: A, C–E) 3 mm, B) 4 mm. A–E: holotype ICML-EMU-14010.

FIGURE 19. Jasmineira agustinae sp. nov. A) Entire worm, ventral view, B) base of crown, dorsal side, C) radiolar tip, D–E) crown and anterior thorax, left and right side, respectively, F) abdomen and pygidial cirrus. Abbreviation: vc–vascular coils. Scale bars: A) 5 mm, B, D–F) 1 mm, C) 0.25 mm. A, C, F: holotype ICML-EMU-14032, B: paratype ICML-EMU-14034E, D–E: paratype ICML-EMU-14033A.

FIGURE 20. Jasmineira agustinae sp. nov. A) Dorso-lateral view of collar, B) ventral view of collar, C) mid-ventral collar margin and parallel lamellae, D) dorsal collar margin, E) ventral collar margin, F) right vascular coil, G) left vascular coil, same individual. Abbreviations: bp—breaking plane, gr2–glandular ridge on chaetiger 2, pl–parallel lamellae, vc–vascular coils, vsc–ventral shield of collar. Scale bars: A–B, D–E) 1 mm, C) 0.5 mm, F–G) 0.3 mm.A–C: paratype ICML-EMU-14033C, D–G: paratype ICML-EMU-14034E.

FIGURE 21. Jasmineira agustinae sp. nov. A) Thoracic chaetiger 3, B) thoracic, elongate narrowly hooded chaeta, C) thoracic paleate chaeta and bayonet chaeta, D) paleate chaeta, E) “bayonet” chaeta, F) thoracic torus chaetiger 3, G) dentition of main fang of thoracic uncini, H, J) abdominal uncini from mid-abdomen, I) abdominal chaetiger with elongate narrowly hooded chaetae. Scale bars: A, F, I) 100 μm, B, E) 25 μm, C–D) 50 μm, G–H, J) 30 μm. A–J: holotype ICML-EMU-14032.

FIGURE 39. Line drawings of chaetae and uncini. A–B, F–G, K, Q, T–U, X) Thoracic chaetae. C, H, L, R, W, Z) Thoracic uncini. D, I, N–O, S, V, Z1) Abdominal uncini. E) Companion chaeta. J) Abdominal chaeta. M, Y) Bayonet chaetae. A–E) Bispira beatrizae sp. nov. F–J) Bispira nunezi sp. nov. K–P) Chone tamai sp. nov. Q–S) Claviramus villalobosi sp. nov. T–W) Euchone nmercedesae sp. nov. X–Z1) Jasmineira agustinae sp. nov. Scale bar: 30 μm.