A Review of the Genus Eunice - Smithsonian Institution Libraries

NUMBER 523 141
peristomium. Prostomial lobes frontally rounded, dorsally
excavate with thickened rim; median sulcus shallow. Antennae
in transverse row, evenly spaced, similar in thickness,
emerging from shallow depressions on prostomial face.
Ceratophores ring-shaped in all antennae, without articulations.
Ceratostyles short, digitiform, with 5 distinct articulations. All
antennae to front edge of setiger 1. Peristomium cylindrical,
with distinct muscular lower lip. Separation between rings
distinct on all sides; anterior ring ~ A /s of total peristomial
length. Peristomial cirri to middle of anterior peristomial ring,
digitiform, with 3 articulations.
Maxillary formula of paratype 1+1, 444, 7+0, 5+8, and 1+1.
Branchiae (Figure 45i) present, pectinate, distinctly longer
than notopodial cirri, not reduced in mid-body region, flexible.
Branchiae from sctigcr 9 to setiger 122, thus absent on posterior
half of body, present on less than 55% of total number of
setigers. All branchiae except last 10-12 pairs with 2 or more
filaments, maximum 5 filaments at about setiger 15. Branchial
stems pliable, shorter than notopodial cirri. Filaments digitiform,
much longer than notopodial cirri. Number of filaments
reduced to 3 from about setiger 30, retaining same length and
shape in all remaining branchial setigers.
Neuropodial acicular lobes asymmetrically rounded with
high point above midline; aciculac emerging above midline.
Presetal lobes low, transverse folds. Anterior postsetal lobes
truncate folds, becoming symmetrically rounded in median and
posterior setigers, outreaching acicular lobes. First 4 to 5
ventral cirri thick, tapering. Ventral cirri basally inflated in
branchial region. Inflated bases transverse welts; narrow tips
short and button-shaped. Postbranchial ventral cirri short,
nearly tubercular, nearly invisible in last 100 setigers. Anterior
notopodial cirri thick, digitiform, with 3 indistinct articulations.
Articulations lost in branchial region. Notopodia decreasing in
size towards posterior end of body, retaining similar shape.
Limbate setae slender, nearly straight; limbation marginally
fraying in most setae. Pectinate setae (Figure 45n) short, with
slender, cylindrical shafts. Blades flaring, flat. Both marginal
teeth longer than other teeth, with -15 teeth. Shafts of
compound falcigers (Figure 45j) long, slender, tapering,
marginally smooth; beaks indistinct. Appendages (Figure
45j,m) short; heads distinct, bidentate. Proximal and distal teeth
similar in length. Proximal teeth slender, tapering, directed
obliquely distally, upturned near tips. Distal teeth curved,
directed obliquely distally, nearly claw-like. Guards symmetrically
rounded, marginally finely serrated; mucros absent.
Pseudocompound falcigers and compound spinigers absent.
Aciculae (Figure 451) single, black, distally sharply bent
ventrally; cross-section round. Separation between core and
sheath distinct in both aciculae and subacicular hooks.
Subacicular hooks (Figure 45k) black, bidentate. Hooks first
present from setiger 26, present in all setigers thereafter, always
single (except for replacements). Hooks tapering towards large
heads. Proximal teeth larger than distal teeth; both teeth
directed distally.
UNKNOWN MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES.—Relationship between
Mx III and left Mx IV; pygidium and anal cirri.
EXPECTED STATES OF SELECTED UNKNOWN FEATURES.—
Mx III short, forming part of distal arc with left Mx IV.
CHARACTERS USED IN PREPARATION OF KEY NOT
SCORED.—Inappropriate Characters: 56, 58, 59. Unknown
Characters: 13, 14.
ASSUMED STATES FOR PURPOSE OF PREPARING KEY.—
None.
REMARKS.—Eunice fimbriata has remained unreported
since its brief mention by Grube (1870b); it belongs, by
definition, to group B-2 and is listed with similar species in
Tables 27 and 30. In E. fimbriata, E. coccinea, and E. reducta,
the branchiae terminate well before the posterior end, in
contrast to all other species listed in Table 30. Eunice reducta
has -21 branchial filaments, E. coccinea has 10, and E.
fimbriata has five. In E. coccinea the bases of the ventral cirri
are inflated to the posterior end; in the other two species, they
are inflated only in the median body region.
65. Eunice flaccida Grube, 1869
FIGURE 46a-e; TABLES 41,44,46,49, 52,53
Eunice flaccida Grube, 1869:491-492.
MATERIAL EXAMINED.—Holotype, ZMB 496, Tor, Red Sea,
coll. Ehrenberg, Sep year.
COMMENTS ON MATERIAL EXAMINED.—The pectinate setae
were somewhat difficult to study due to the amount of debris
attached.
DESCRIPTION.—Holotype incomplete, of unknown sex, with
43 setigers; length 27 mm; maximal width 2.5 mm at setiger
10; length through setiger 10, 8.5 mm. Anterior part of body
through setiger 15 cylindrical; remainder dorsoventrally flattened.
Prostomium (Figure 46a) distinctly shorter and narrower
than peristomium, as deep as x li of the peristomium. Prostomial
lobes frontally rounded, dorsally inflated; median sulcus
shallow. Eyes not observed. Antennae in a horseshoe with A-I
anterior to A-II and III, evenly spaced, similar in thickness.
Ceratophores ring-shaped in all antennae, without articulations.
Ceratostyles tapering, articulated to bases, with up to 18 short,
moniliform articulations in A-III. A-I to bases of peristomial
cirri; A-II to setiger 1; A-III to setiger 2. Peristomium
cylindrical with strongly jutting, muscular lower lip. Separation
between rings distinct only ventrally; anterior ring 5 /6 of total
peristomial length. Peristomial cirri to middle of anterior
peristomial ring, digitiform, with 6 articulations.
Jaws not examined.
Branchiae (Figure 46b) present, pectinate, distinctly shorter
than notopodial cirri, erect. Branchiae from setiger 7 to end of
fragment. All branchiae pectinate; maximum 9 filaments at
setiger 12; numbers of filaments decreasing posteriorly, at end
of fragment 2 or 3 filaments. Branchial stems stout, cylindrical,