Harmothoe stephensoni Pettibone 1993

Harmothoe stephensoni

Harmothoe waahli.—Fauvel, 1923:4.—Monro, 1933:489, figs. 1–3.—Day, 1953:400 [not Kinberg. 1856].

Harmothoe (Lagisca) waahli.—Day, 1960:281; 1967:72, fig. 1.11.g–k [not Kinberg, 1856].

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—SOUTH AFRICA: South Atlantic Ocean, Stil Bay, University of Cape Town Ecological Survey, T.A. Stephenson, collector, Jan 1932, holotype (BMNH 1932.11.24.8, as H. waahli by Monro, 1933).

MEASUREMENTS.—Type Material: Holotype, female with eggs in body cavity, in 2 pieces, with 44 segments, 19 mm long, 5 mm wide with setae.

DESCRIPTION.—Body flattened, tapering slightly anteriorly and more so posteriorly, with 2 dorsal transverse ciliated bands per segment, without color. Elytra 15 pairs on usual segments, covering dorsum except for some posterior segments. Elytra large, oval, delicate, with “veins” radiating from scar of attachment to elytrophore, dotted with low conical microtubercles throughout and some scattered micropapillae (Figure 20B; Monro, 1933, fig. 1; Day, 1967, fig. 1.11.h).

Prostomium bilobed with subtriangular cephalic peaks; ceratophore of median antenna in anterior notch, large, bulbous, with style rather short, with scattered short papillae; ceratophores of lateral antennae inserted ventrally, styles short, subulate, with short papillae; palps stout, tapered, thickly papillate; anterior pair of eyes anteroventral, hidden from dorsal view, larger than posterolateral pair; tentaculophores lateral to prostomium, each with single seta on inner side and pair of dorsal and ventral tentacular cirri, similar to median antenna (Figure 20A; Day, 1967, fig. 1.11.g).

Segment 2 with first pair of large elytrophores, biramous parapodia, and long ventral buccal cirri similar to tentacular cirri (Figure 20A,C); notosetae similar to following notosetae; neurosetae more slender than following neurosetae, with tips both entire and bifid (Figure 20D).

Parapodia biramous; notopodium smaller than neuropodium, rounded, with projecting acicular lobe on lower side; neuropodium with subconical presetal acicular lobe with short supraacicular process and shorter, rounded postsetal lobe; notosetae numerous, forming spreading bundle; neurosetae moderate in number, forming fan-shape bundle (Figure 20C,E,F). Notosetae stouter than neurosetae, with rather weakly developed spinous rows, short ones with tapered, bare tips, some long ones with tips showing faint terminal groove (Figure 20G; Monro, 1933, fig. 2). Upper neurosetae with long spinous regions and rather long, bare tips, entire or with slight indication of secondary tooth; middle and lower neurosetae with short spinous regions, mostly with secondary tooth (Figure 20H; Monro, 1933, fig. 3). Cirrophores of dorsal cirri thick, cylindrical, with raised glandular area on posterior side; styles rather thick, tapered distally and extending about to tips of neurosetae, with scattered, short clavate papillae; dorsal tubercles nodular (Figure 20F). Ventral cirri short, subulate, with short papillae (Figure 20E,F).

DISTRIBUTION.—South Atlantic Ocean, South Africa; intertidal to 64 meters (Day, 1960).

ETYMOLOGY.—The species is named for Professor T.A. Stephenson, the collector of the holotype.