Sphaerosyllis lateropapillata Hartmann-Schröder, 1986

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 : 96-97

Sphaerosyllis lateropapillata Hartmann-Schröder, 1986

Figs. 52A–I, 53A–C

Sphaerosyllis capensis lateropapillata Hartmann-Schröder, 1986: 44 , figs. 22–28.

Sphaerosyllis (Sphaerosyllis) capensis lateropapillata .– Hartmann-Schröder, 1987: 40.

Sphaerosyllis lateropapillata lateropapillata .–Hartmann-Schröder & Rosenfeldt, 1988: 43; Hartmann-Schröder, 1989: 29, figs. 34–36; 1990: 54.

Material examined. AUSTRALIA: NEW SOUTH WALES. 1 specimen, AM W26479, east of Malabar, Sydney, 34°03.20'S 151°14.60'E, 76.4 m, Fisheries Research Institute, 21 Jun 1996. 1 specimen, AM W26706, North Ledge, Cook Island, 28°11.44'S 153°34.67'E, sponge, 10 m, A.R. Parker, 08 Jun 1993. 3 specimens, AM W26791, Lafontaine Island, Kimberley region, 14°10'S 125°47'E, 15 m, P.A. Hutchings, 19 July 1988. WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 2 specimens, AM W27121, Goss Passage, Beacon Island, 28°25.5'S 113°47.0'E, dead coral plates covered in coralline algae, 8 m, P.A. Hutchings, 22 May 1994. 15 specimens and 2 specimens on SEM stub, AM W27646, north end of beach, Bundegi Reef, Exmouth Gulf, 21°49'S 114°11'E, rocky rubble, brown algae with epiphytes, sediment, 2 m, H.E. Stoddart, 4 Jan 1984. 1 specimen, AM W27649, north end of beach, Bundegi Reef, Exmouth Gulf, 21°49'S 114°11'E, rocky rubble, coralline algae with green epiphyte, 2 m, H.E. Stoddart, 4 Jan 1984. 1 specimen, AM W27660, 5 km offshore, Bush Bay, 30 km south of Carnarvon, 25°10'S 113°39'E, airlift in strap-leaved seagrass beds, 2 m, J.K. Lowry & R.T. Springthorpe, 6 Jan 1984. 1 specimen, AM W27663, Red Bluff, Kalbarri, 27°42'S 114°09'E, mixed brown algae from rocky shore, 4 m, R.T. Springthorpe, 10 Jan 1984.

Description. Body relatively long and slender, 4.2 mm long, 0.17 mm wide, 40 chaetigers. Dorsal surface provided with scattered small papillae, more abundant and slightly longer on lateral edges on each segment; a few, usually 1–2, longer, oval papillae on anterior and posterior part of each segment on each lateral side of middle segments (Figs. 52A,B, 53B,C ). Prostomium oval to rectangular, 4 eyes in trapezoidal arrangement. Antennae shorter than combined length of prostomium and palps when palps extended (Fig. 52A), slightly longer when palps ventrally folded ( Fig. 53A ); median antenna inserted on posterior margin of prostomium, lateral antennae inserted in front of anterior eyes, on anterior margin of prostomium (Fig. 52A). Palps triangular, longer than prostomium, sometimes ventrally folded, fused along their length, with distinct dorsal furrow. Peristomium similar in length to following segments, covering posterior part of prostomium (Fig. 52A); tentacular cirri similar or shorter than antennae. Dorsal cirri similar to antennae and tentacular cirri (Fig. 52A, 53A ), slightly elongate on midbody segments (Figs. 52B, 53B ). Parapodial glands with granular material, difficult to see, only visible on midbody segments of some specimens (Fig. 52B). Parapodia each with about 7 anteriorly, 5–6 on midbody, 4–5 posteriorly, compound chaetae, blades unidentate, with distinct dorsoventral gradation on anterior parapodia (Fig.

52D), blades 22 µm above, 10 µm below, similar on posterior parapodia (Fig. 52G), 18–10 µm long; longer blades with short marginal spines, short blades smooth, slightly hooked. Dorsal simple chaetae from anterior parapodia, unidentate, with short marginal spines, similar throughout (Fig. 52C,F). Ventral simple chaetae on posterior parapodia, sigmoid, unidentate, smooth (Fig. 52H). Acicula solitary, distally bent at right angle (Fig. 52E), slightly larger posteriorly (Fig. 52I). Pharynx through 4 segments; pharyngeal tooth slightly posteriorly from anterior rim (Fig. 52A). Proventricle relatively long, through 2–3 segments, with 20 muscle cell rows.

Distribution. Australia (South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia). Antarctica.

Habitat. Amongst algae, in sponges and dead corals. Intertidal to about 76 m depth.

Figures

Fig. 53. SEM of Sphaerosyllis lateropapillata. (A) anterior end, dorsal view. (B) midbody, dorsal view. (C) midbody parapodia, dorsal view. SEM of Sphaerosyllis georgeharrisoni. (D) dorsal view of a complete specimen. (E) anterior end, dorsal view. (F) posterior end, dorsal view.