Zootaxa, Taxonomy of Serpulidae (Annelida ... - Magnolia Press

42D). Abdominal uncini rasp-shaped with 8–11 teeth in profile, 2–3 teeth in a row (Fig. 42A, B). Achaetous
anterior abdominal zone absent. Short capillary chaetae present posteriorly. Posterior glandular pad, if present,
hardly visible.
Remarks. Sclerostyla Mörch, 1863 has been synonymized with Pyrgopolon, according to Jäger (1993,
2004) including the genera Hamulus and Turbinia, known only from the fossil record. This opinion is shared
by Belokrys (1994). Fossils have been mentioned from the Maastrichtian (Cretaceous) from e.g., the Southern
Netherlands, Northern Belgium, and the Crimean Mountains. The Recent distribution of the genus is the
tropical seas of the Americas and is little known because the animals are difficult to find as their tubes are
usually embedded into substrate. The distinguishing feature (autapomorphy) of the genus is the funnel-shaped
calcareous operculum continuing into a calcareous peduncle (talon). Opercular talons, but shorter, are also
known in Pomatoleios and Neomicrorbis. The bright red “glandular fields” around the brim of the operculum
mentioned by ten Hove (1973 figs 32–33) in the meantime have been found to be compound eyespots (HAtH,
SEM observations); ten Hove’s (1973) revision still remains the most comprehensive source of information
about this genus.
1. Pyrgopolon ctenactis (Mörch, 1863), St. Thomas, Caribbean and tropical Pacific America
2. Pyrgopolon differens (Augener, 1922), Barbados, Shelf of Surinam
3. Pyrgopolon semiannulatum (ten Hove, 1973), Barbados.
38. Rhodopsis Bush, 1905
(Fig. 43)
Type-species: Rhodopsis pusilla Bush, 1905
Number of species: 2
Tube white, circular in cross-section, thin-walled, not increasing in diameter, distal part sometimes erect,
unattached, with peristomes; granular overlay absent. Animals with tube diameter < 0.2 mm. Some tubes may
have one or more unpaired, inverted brood-chambers associated with peristomial rings. Operculum pearshaped,
laterally compressed, usually with well-developed chitinous plate bearing spines. Opercular plate may
be deeply infolded and sunk, angled, within the opercular ampulla, then with halves closely appressed; plate
rarely flat and terminal. Rarely operculum a simple ampulla only. Peduncle smooth, cylindrical, without
wings, separated from ampulla by constriction; inserted proximal to 1 st radiole on one side. Pseudoperculum
absent. Arrangement of radioles short pectinate, only 2–3 radioles per lobe. Inter-radiolar membrane absent.
Branchial eyes not observed. Stylodes absent. Mouth palps present. 4–6 thoracic chaetigerous segments
present. Collar (tri-)quadri-lobed. Thoracic membranes short, reaching 1 st thoracic chaetiger. Collar chaetae
absent. Apomatus chaetae present from second chaetiger onward. Thoracic and abdominal uncini rasp-shaped,
with 6–8 teeth in a row in edge view and about 8 teeth in profile, anterior fang simple pointed (Fig. 43A, B).
Triangular depression absent. Single capillary chaeta in middle abdominal chaetigers accompanied by single
flat narrow geniculate chaeta with blunt teeth (Fig. 43C). Achaetous anterior abdominal zone long, followed
by up to 15 chaetigers. Posterior capillary chaetae present (Fig. 43D). Posterior glandular pad not observed.
Remarks. This little known species was incompletely described by Bush (1905) from a tiny worm
collected on corals off Bermuda, characterized by numerous irregular spines in chitinous opercular plate. The
type material was lost. Ben-Eliahu & ten Hove (1989) designated the neotype and re-described the species in
detail. They also referred the monotypic Apomatolos Uchida, 1978 to Rhodopsis.
1. Rhodopsis pusilla Bush, 1905, Bermuda, Caribbean, Mediterranean, Indo-West Pacific
2. Rhodopsis simplex (Uchida, 1978), Kushimoto, Japan.
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