A Review of the Genus Eunice - Smithsonian Institution Libraries

NUMBER 523 197
Peristomial cirri to front edge of peristomium, digitiform,
without articulations.
Maxillary formula 1+1, 9+10, 7+0, 6+10, and presumably
1+1. Mx III long, located behind left Mx II.
Branchiae present, pectinate, distinctly longer than notopodial
cirri, not reduced in mid-body region, erect. Branchiae
from setiger 3 to setiger 36. Branchiae terminating well before
posterior end, present on less than 55% of total number of
setigers. Maximum 12 slender, nearly filiform filaments.
Filaments about as long as notopodial cirri.
Ventral cirri basally inflated in median setigers. Posterior
ventral cirri not inflated. Notopodial cirri digitiform, without
articulations in all setigers.
Shafts of compound falcigers distally inflated, marginally
serrated. Appendages short, tapering, bidentate. Proximal teeth
larger than distal teeth, triangular, directed laterally. Distal
teeth short, obliquely directed distally. Guards symmetrically
sharply pointed, with distinct mucros. Pseudocompound
falcigers and compound spinigers absent. Aciculae yellow,
slender, tapering, straight; cross-sections round. Separation
between core and sheath indistinct in both aciculae and
subacicular hooks. Subacicular hooks yellow, tridentate with
teeth in a crest Distribution unknown, present well before
setiger 30.
UNKNOWN MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES.—Several features
from all parts of the body.
EXPECTED STATES OF SELECTED UNKNOWN FEATURES.—
None.
CHARACTERS USED IN PREPARATION OF KEY NOT
SCORED.—Inappropriate Characters: 58, 59. Unknown
Characters: 4-6, 8, 10-17, 24, 39, 40, 42-52, 54-56, 60,
65-68,80-81
ASSUMED STATES FOR PURPOSE OF PREPARING KEY.—
None.
REMARKS.—Eunice limosa is listed with similar species in
Tables 41 and 43. It is the only species in Table 43 to combine
mucronate guards on the compound falcigers with as many as
12 branchial filaments. It has usually been considered a
synonym of E. vittata; the two are very similar and may not be
separable. A comparison shows a series of minor differences
and without knowledge of the variability in these characters a
possible synonymy should be held in abeyance.
An indication of the distribution of subacicular hooks is
given by Enters in his illustration of parapodium (1868, pi. 15:
fig. 17) shown as being a heavily branchiated parapodium with
nine branchial filaments and subacicular hooks. In the text
Ehlers indicated that such heavily branchiated parapodia are
present only before setiger 30.
106. Eunice lita (Chamberlin, 1919)
FIGURE 65c-i; TABLES 33,38
Leodice lita Chwnberlin, 1919a:240-244, pi. 54: figs. 6-10, pi. 55: figi. 1-7.
MATERIAL EXAMINED.—Holotype, USNM 19395, Albatross
(no station indicated), Marshall Islands, on anchor coming
up from 12 fathoms, Exped. 1899-1900.
DESCRIPTION.—Holotype complete (in 2 pieces), of unknown
sex, with 240 setigers; length 78 mm; maximal width 4
mm; length through setiger 10,4 mm.
Prostomium (Figure 650 distinctly shorter and narrower
than peristomium, less than l /i as deep as peristomium.
Prostomial lobes frontally obliquely truncate, dorsally excavate
with a thickened rim; median sulcus deep. Eyes between bases
of A-I and A-II, black. Antennae in horseshoe; A-I separated by
gap from A-II and A-III; A-I thicker than A-II and A-III.
Ceratophores ring-shaped in all antennae, without articulations.
Ceratostyles tapering, without articulations. A-I to middle of
peristomium; A-II to setiger 4; A-III to setiger 5. Peristomium
anteriorly somewhat flaring. Separation between rings very
distinct both dorsally and ventrally and visible laterally.
Anterior ring 5 /6 of total peristomial length. Peristomial cirri to
middle of prostomium, medially inflated, without articulations.
Maxillary formula 1+1,4+4,6+0,4+9, and 1+1. Mx III and
left Mx IV forming distal arc.
Branchiae present, palmate, distinctly longer than notopodial
cirri, not reduced in mid-body region. Branchiae from setiger
15 to setiger 120. Branchiae terminating well before posterior
end, present on less than 55% of total number of setigers. Most
branchiae single, digitiform filaments (Figure 65e); some
branchiae, especially at about setigers 35-70 with 2 filaments.
Filaments digitiform, longer than notopodial cirri.
Anterior neuropodial acicular lobes distally truncate, becoming
conical posteriorly; aciculae emerging at midline. Pre- and
postsetal lobes low, transverse folds. First 4 ventral cirri thick,
tapering, becoming basally inflated from about setiger 5.
Inflated bases thick, transverse welts; narrow tips short and
button-shaped. From about setiger 50 inflated bases reduced.
Ventral cirri emerging increasingly from posterior face of
parapodium, by last setigers present reduced to very small,
nearly rudimentary knobs. Anterior notopodial cirri short,
digitiform, becoming short, slender filaments at bases of much
larger branchial filaments in branchial region. Notopodial cirri
without articulations.
Limbate setae slender, marginally smooth. Pectinate setae
(Figure 65i) small. Shafts slender. Blades flaring, flat. One
marginal tooth longer than other teeth, with 12 teeth.
Compound falcigers (Figure 65h) long-shafted, shafts gently
inflated, marginally smooth. Appendages short, sharply tapering;
heads large, bidentate. Proximal teeth larger than distal
teeth, tapering, directed laterally, distally upturned. Distal teeth
thick, blunt, directed obliquely distally. Guards symmetrically
rounded, marginally smooth; mucros absent. Pseudocompound
falcigers and compound spinigers absent. Aciculae single
except in a few anterior setigers, dark, pointed, straight;
cross-sections round. Posterior aciculae projecting well beyond
acicular lobes. Subacicular hooks (Figure 65g) dark, bidentate.
Hooks first present from setiger 23, present in all setigers
thereafter, always single (except for replacements). Hooks
curved, distally abruptly tapering; heads large. Proximal teeth