A Review of the Genus Eunice - Smithsonian Institution Libraries

NUMBER 523 147
TABLE 5.—Variable and invariable features in the type lot of Eunice floridana (N = number of individuals
examined; SD = standard deviation; measurements in mm).
VARIABLE FEATURES
No. of seligers
Total length
Maximal width
Length through 10
No. of antcnnal articulations
Branchiae first present from setiger no.
Ventral cirri inflated to setiger no.
No. of notopodial articulations
Subacicular hooks first present from setiger no.
N
4
4
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
Max.
138
95
6
10.5
8
10
55
4
40
Min.
100
53
4.5
7
5
8
40
3
29
Mean
117.5
70.75
5.31
8.81
7.38
9.00
47.50
3.13
33.25
SD
16.13
20.30
0.59
1.22
1.19
0.93
5.35
0.35
3.62
INVARIABLE FEATURES
Separation of pcristomial rings
Pcristomial cirri reach
Max. no. of branchial filaments
Pectinate setae
No. of teeth in pectinate setae
Shaft of compound falcigcrs
Color of aciculac
Shaft of aciculae
Color of subacicular hooks
No. of teeth in subacicular hooks
Core-sheath separation
N=8
visible dorsally and ventrally
middle of prostomium
8
furled, flared
12
inflated
black
flattened and knife-like
black
2
distinct
inflated from about setiger 8-10. Inflated bases thick, ventral
ridges along lower edge of parapodia; narrow tips tapering.
Inflated bases reduced posterior to setiger 30-40, missing from
setiger 40-50. Posterior ventral cirri nearly triangular in
outline, tapering, broadly attached ventrally, nearly scoopshaped.
Anterior notopodial cirri digitiform, with 3 to 5
indistinct articulations. Median and posterior notopodial cirri
basally slightly inflated, tapering to thick, digitiform tips,
without articulations.
Limbate setae frayed. Shafts of pectinate setae (Figure 47i,k)
slender, cylindrical. Blades slightly flaring, gently furled. One
marginal tooth distinctly longer than all other teeth; 15-18
teeth present. Shafts of all compound falcigers (Figure 47g,h,l)
slightly inflated, marginally serrated in anterior and median
setigers and marginally smooth further posteriorly; beaks
distinct. Anterior appendages (Figure 47g) slender, tapering;
heads small, bidentate. Proximal teeth smaller than distal teeth,
triangular, directed laterally. Distal teeth nearly erect, tapering.
Anterior guards asymmetrically sharply pointed; mucros
absent. Posterior appendages (Figure 471) short, thick, distinctly
triangular in outline; heads distinct, bidentate. Proximal
teeth larger than distal teeth, narrowly triangular, directed
laterally. Distal teeth short, directed obliquely distally. Posterior
guards symmetrically sharply pointed; mucros absent.
Pseudocompound falcigers and compound spinigers absent.
Anterior aciculae dark brown, tapering to straight tips;
cross-section round. Posterior aciculae black, extremely shiny,
flattened anteroposteriorly to form slightly curved knife-shaped
blades (Figure 47j). Median and posterior aciculae very thick,
numbering at least 3 in a parapodium. Subacicular hooks
(Figure 47m) first dark brown, becoming black and shiny in
later setigers, bidentate. Hooks first present from setiger
29-40, present in all setigers thereafter, usually paired. Hooks
tapering abruptly to narrow necks. Proximal teeth larger than
distal teeth, narrowly triangular, directed laterally. Distal teeth
very small, triangular, erect
UNKNOWN MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES.—None.
EXPECTED STATES OF SELECTED UNKNOWN FEATURES.—
None.
CHARACTERS USED IN PREPARATION OF KEY NOT
SCORED.—Inappropriate Characters: 56, 58, 59. Unknown
Characters: 42, 74, 78.
ASSUMED STATES FOR PURPOSE OF PREPARING KEY.—
None.
REMARKS.—The original description mentioned only the
thick, pergamentaceous tubes in which the species lives and its
association with deep-water hard-bottom environments. The
first complete description of the species was given by Ehlers
(1887) and the description given above is based on material
used by Ehlers in his description; thus, the material, although
not type material, is certainly authoritative in terms of the
definition of the species.
The species has been widely reported but appears to have
been confused with a number of other members of group B-2,
with which it is listed in Tables 27 and 32.
Eunice floridana has articulated ceratostyles in which the
articulations become increasingly moniliform distally. In
addition to E. floridana, the following species in Table 32 have
the notopodial cirri articulated only in the anterior end: E.
frauenfeldi, E. grubei, E. northioidea, and E. pyenobranchiata.