Leodice antennata Savigny ex Lamarck 1818

Eunice antennata (Lamarck, 1818)

Leodice antennata Lamarck, 1818:322.—Savigny, 1820:49–50, pl. 5: fig. 1.1–27.

Eunice antennata.—Audouin and Milne Edwards, 1833:219.

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—BM(NH) ZH 1869.7.8.6, Gulf of Suez, presented by R. McAndrew, Esq.

COMMENTS ON MATERIAL EXAMINED.—The type material is lost; the largest specimen in ZH 1869.7.8.6 is here described in detail; variability is indicated in Table 2. These specimens were collected a few years after the opening of the Suez Canal. It appears unlikely that the fauna would have been extensively modified compared to the one present during Napoleon I's expedition to Egypt. The material studied by Savigny and Lamarck was collected during the latter expedition.

DESCRIPTION.—Specimen complete, of unknown sex, with 98 setigers; total length 54 mm; maximal width 3 mm; length through setiger 10, 7 mm.

Prostomium (Figure 11a) nearly as long as anterior peristomial ring, distinctly narrower than peristomium, about as deep as the depth of peristomium. Prostomial lobes frontally rounded, dorsally flattened; median sulcus deep. Eyes posterior to bases of A-I. Antennae in a shallow horseshoe, evenly spaced, similar in thickness. Ceratophores ring-shaped in all antennae, without articulations. Ceratostyles tapering, with up to 17 moniliform articulations in A-III. A-I to posterior peristomial ring; A-II to setiger 1; A-III to setiger 3. Peristomium cylindrical; lower lip inflated and muscular. Separation between peristomial rings distinct dorsally and ventrally; anterior ring of total peristomial length. Peristomial cirri to middle of anterior peristomial ring, tapering, with 3 long articulations.

Jaws missing.

Branchiae present, pectinate, distinctly longer than notopodial cirri, reduced in mid-body region, erect. Branchiae from setiger 7 to setiger 92. Branchiae present to near posterior end, present on more than 65% of total number of setigers. All branchiae except the last 3 with at least 2 filaments; first branchia with 4 filaments, maximum 7 relatively short filaments. Stems short, tapering. Filaments (Figure 11e) no longer than notopodial cirri. Number of filaments reduced to 2 or 3 in setigers 50 to 70, increasing to 4 in setigers 75–85, thereafter branchiae decreasing rapidly both in size and numbers of filaments, absent in last 6 setigers.

Anterior neuropodial lobes truncate; posterior acicular lobes somewhat more conical, but retaining broadly transverse shape in all setigers; aciculae emerging near midline. Pre- and postsetal lobes low, transverse folds. First 4 ventral cirri thick, tapering, becoming basally inflated from about setiger 5. Inflated bases relatively modest, ovate, lost by setiger 35; narrow tips digitiform. Posterior ventral cirri increasingly slender, elongated towards the posterior end, digitiform, and longer than notopodial cirri in last 10–15 setigers. All notopodial cirri basally inflated, with 2–3 long, cylindrical articulations. Notopodial cirri increasing by one-third in length in early branchial setigers, decreasing in length towards posterior end, finally being as long as in first setigers.

Limbate setae slender, marginally smooth. Shafts of pectinate setae (Figure 11c) flat, wide. Blades flat, flared. One marginal tooth longer than other teeth, with ~15 teeth. Shafts of compound falcigers (Figure 11b) strongly inflated, marginally smooth; distinct beaks small. Appendages thick, with distinct bosses on cutting edge near base, bidentate. Proximal teeth directed laterally, slightly narrower than distal teeth. Distal teeth thick, curved. Guards asymmetrically bluntly pointed, without mucros. Pseudocompound falcigers and compound spinigers absent. Aciculae paired, yellow, tapering, blunt, straight, cross-sections round. Separation between core and sheath indistinct in both aciculae and subacicular hooks. Subacicular hooks (Figure 11d) yellow, tridentate with teeth in a crest. Hooks first present from setiger 25, present in all setigers thereafter, always single (except for replacements). Fangs decreasing evenly in size from large main fang to small tertiary fang.

UNKNOWN MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES.—Jaw structure; pygidium and anal cirri.

EXPECTED STATES OF SELECTED UNKNOWN FEATURES.—Mx III long, straight and located behind left Mx II. Distal arc absent; Mx VI absent. Anal cirri long, with moniliform articulations.

CHARACTERS USED IN PREPARATION OF KEY NOT SCORED.—Inappropriate Characters: 56, 58, 59. Unknown Characters: 4, 6, 42

ASSUMED STATES FOR PURPOSE OF PREPARING KEY.—None.