A new genus and species of the Syllidae (Annelida, Polychaeta) from south India

A syllid species new to science is described from intertidal sandy sediments on the cast coast of India, for which a new genus is erected: Psammosyllis aliceae gen. et sp.n. Incorporation into either the Eusyllinae or the Exogoninae is unresolved, because it possesses characters of both of these poorly defined subfamilies.     

A new genus of Syllidae (Polychaeta) from Western Australia

During a study carried out on the subfamily Exogoninae (Syllidae) from Australia, several specimens of a new genus and species were found in samples of dead coral substrate from Western Australia. They have long palps, fused except for a terminal notch, long median and two short lateral antennae, a single pair of short tentacular cirri, and short dorsal cirri, somewhat longer than the parapodial lobes. These characters resemble those of the genus Exogone Örsted, 1845. However, all these appendages are articulated. The chaetae are very similar to those of several species of Syllis Lamarck, 1818, having coarse spines on the margin of compound chaetal blades and truncated dorsal simple chaetae. Furthermore, the pharynx begins in chaetiger 3, posterior to the peristomium, as in many species of the genus Syllis; this condition does not occur in any described species of Exogone. The new genus is provisionally proposed to belong to the subfamily Syllinae, although it has some characters typical of the Exogoninae. Examination under the SEM shows another peculiar feature, the nuchal organs are distinctly laterally located. Within the Syllinae, only Paratyposyllis Hartmann-Schröder, 1962 has a single pair of tentacular cirri, but in that genus, the palps are only basally fused.     

Sperm ultrastructure and spermiogenesis in two Exogone species (Polychaeta, Syllidae, Exogoninae)

Abstract. The spermatozoa of Exogone naidina and E. dispar are characterized by a prominent bell-shaped acrosome, a spheroidal nucleus, and a conventional flagellum. During spermiogenesis, the acrosomal vesicle undergoes conspicuous modifications leading to its final bell shape with a posterior opening. The subacrosomal material initially shows radiating filaments but in mature sperms it appears as a meshwork of electron-opaque material. The acrosomal axis is oblique with respect to the main longitudinal sperm axis. The chromatin is arranged in electron-opaque strands in the early spermatids, then becomes amorphous, and is finally organized in filaments in mature sperms. Centrioles are orthogonally arranged beneath the nucleus and fibers radiate from the distal centriole to contact the plasma membrane and the single mitochondrion. The latter is located eccentrically on the side of the nucleus opposite the acrosome. A disk-shaped structure is evident beneath the distal centriole. The flagellar axoneme has a 9+2 microtubule pattern. A conspicuous glycocalyx surrounds the flagellar plasma membrane, and an electron-lucent space is present between these two structures at the distal tip of the flagellum. We compare the sperm morphology of these two species of Exogone with that described in other members of the subfamily Exogoninae. The fine structure of these two species supports the occurrence of an ent-aquasperm type within Exogoninae, in accordance with the brood strategy present within this subfamily. The mode of reproduction is of taxonomic importance for defining subfamilies within Syllidae, and is likely also of phylogenetic significance. Because epitoky is probably plesiomorphic, the ent-aquasperm type found in Exogoninae can be considered a derived feature within Syllidae.     

Syllidae (Annelida, Polychaeta) from the Caribbean coast of Venezuela

Venezuela possesses a great variety of coastal environments allowing for a high diversity of marine species. However, systematic studies on marine invertebrates are scarce, especially on polychaetes. The family Syllidae is poorly known, and only 14 genera and 42 species have been reported from this country. A total of 13 genera and 26 species the Syllidae were identified from benthic samples collected on different substrata of the northeastern coast of Venezuela. Of these, seven genera and 16 species constitute new records for Venezuela: Odontosyllis guillermoi, Syllides floridanus, Salvatoria clavata, Salvatoria limbata, Sphaerosyllis longicauda, Parapionosyllis longicirrata, Trypanosyllis parvidentata, Trypanosyllis vittigera, Opisthosyllis sp., Syllis amica, Syllis armillaris, Syllis gracilis, Syllis pseudoarmillaris, Syllis vittata, Parasphaerosyllis indica and Myrianida convoluta.     

Phylogeny and reproduction in Syllidae (Polychaeta)

The phylogeny of 12 representatives of the four syllid subfamilies is analysed using 44 morphological characters and 96 character states. The analysis is designed to answer two questions: are the four subfamilies monophyletic, and how are the different reproductive strategies related? Syllids show two modes of reproduction, epigamy and schizogamy. Epigamy is mainly constrained to two of the four subfamilies, Eusyllinae and Exogoninae but occurs also in some members of Autolytinae. Schizogamy can be of two types–scissiparity and gemmiparity–and both types are found in Syllinae and Autolytinae. Several modes of brood protection also occur in the family; in some epigamous species the eggs and even juveniles are attached to the main animal, whereas in brooding schizogamous species the stolons care for the young. Brood protection appears in Exogoninae, a few species of Eusyllinae, and some Autolytinae. The resulting tree indicates that members exhibiting brood protection are constrained to one clade, and that it is uncertain whether epigamy or schizogamy is the plesiomorphic reproductive mode. Three of the four subfamilies, Autolytinae, Exogoninae and Syllinae, are supported in the analysis whereas Eusyllinae is found to be polyphyletic.     

Three new species of Annulatascus (Ascomycetes) from Hong Kong freshwater habitats

 Annulatascus joannae, A. lactus, and A. tropicalis are described and illustrated from decaying woody substrata in freshwater habitats in Hong Kong. Annulatascus joannae is distinguished by ellipsoidal and thick-walled ascospores whereas A. lacteus has milky ascomata and A. tropicalis has relatively large, fusiform, 1–3-septate ascospores. Annulatascus biatriisporus is reported as a new record in Hong Kong. A key to and a synoptic table of Annulatascus species are provided. Received: December 14, 2001 / Accepted: July 5, 2002 Acknowledgments C.K.M. Tsui and V.M. Ranghoo are grateful to The University of Hong Kong for the award of postgraduate studentships. A.Y.P. Lee, M.H. Ng, and M.Y. Chan are thanked for photographic and technical assistance. Correspondence to:C.K.M. Tsui     

On the associations between Haplosyllis (Polychaeta, Syllidae) and gorgonians (Cnidaria, Octocorallaria), with the description of a new species

The present paper includes a morphological, ecological and biological updating of the three gorgonian associated species of Haplosyllis (Polychaeta, Syllidae) known to date: H. chamaeleon (symbiont with Paramuricea clavata in the Mediterranean), H. anthogorgicola (symbiont with Anthogorgia bocki in the Japanese seas) and H. villogorgicola , a new species living symbiotically with Villogorgia bebrycoides which is only known from Tenerife (Canary Islands, Eastern Central Atlantic). The new species is described on the basis of ecological, morphological, morphometric and statistical analysis of relevant characteristics. Each host colony harboured about 15 pale-yellowish worms, whose cryptic colouration mimicked that of the host. They occurred either on the host branches or partly hidden inside cavities formed by the fusion of two branches. The new species is characterized by the presence of simple chaetae with clearly bidentate tips all along the body, the presence of gland pore aggregates distributed in two lateral rows and two ventral patches on each palp and the absence of ciliary tufts on the pharyngeal papillae. H. villogorgicola sp. nov. is closely related to H. chamaeleon . Thus, it is compared with two populations of this species collected in the north-west and south-west Mediterranean. Stolons of H. chamaeleon are re-described as tetracerous and a peculiar posterior end regeneration process occurring in adult worms during the stolon formation is described. H. anthogorgicola is also re-described, with particular emphasis on its appendage and chaetal arrangements. The main features of the three associations are discussed in light of the current knowledge on symbiotic polychaetes, particularly cnidarian-associated syllids.  © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2002, 77 , 455–477.     

Three new deep-sea species of Sphaerodoridae (Annelida,Polychaeta) from the eastern tropical South Pacific*

Three sphaerodorid species new to science are described from a manganese nodule area in abyssal depths of around 4150 m in the Peru Basin in the eastern South Pacific. Sphaerodoridium campanulata sp. n. is isolated within the genus, having, apart from spherical macrotubercles, additional dorsal stalked bell-shaped papillae, not previously described. Sphaerodoropsis discolis sp. n. is a species with four rows of dorsal macrotubercles and two pairs of lateral antennae. Sphaerodoropsis translucida sp. n. has six to seven rows of dorsal macrotubercles arrayed in two transverse rows per segment and two pairs of lateral antennae. A brief discussion points to the close relationship between Clavodorum and Sphaerodoridium, and to the present state of Sphaerodoropsis, being inhomogeneous in the characters of the arrangement of the dorsal macrotubercles and the numbers of the lateral antennae. An overview on the latter genus, with an attempt to subdivide it, is given.     

A new species of Streptospinigera Kudenov, 1983 (Polychaeta, Syllidae, Anoplosyllinae) from the Arctic and north-western Atlantic with a key to all species of the genus

Since 2007, the ArcticNet and CHOne programmes have allowed researchers, through oceanographic surveys on the ‘NGCC Amundsen’, to collect yearly benthic samples in the Canadian High Arctic. From the Beaufort Sea to the Bay of Baffin, more than 262 samples have been collected and analysed to provide essential data to explain patterns of biodiversity in the Canadian Arctic archipelago. Whereas common species are well known, other more rare species belonging to a few minute species groups, with debatable taxonomy, were set aside for further analyses. Focusing on Syllidae (Annelida, Polychaeta), we found and describe here Streptospinigera niuqtuut sp. nov. from muddy habitats of bathyal Arctic and continental slope beds of northern Atlantic coasts of United States between depths of 169 and 707 m. S. niuqtuut differs from congeneric species by unique dorsal simple chaetae of 1–5 chaetigers dorsally curved and distally rounded, with some sub-distal serration. This species may have frequently been reported from the region as Syllides longocirrata Ørsted 1845 but in fact are species of the genus Streptospinigera Kudenov 1983. We also transfer Streptosyllis templadoi San Martín 1984 to this genus and provide herein a key for the identification of all species of the genus.     

Phylogeny of Syllidae (Polychaeta) based on morphological data

The phylogeny of Syllidae is assessed in two parsimony analyses of 107 morphological characters. The first analysis included one species of each of the 71 genera of the Syllidae, as well as members of other close families. In the second analysis, 23 poorly known genera were excluded. Character information is based on the examination of available types, additional non-types and newly collected material. Syllidae, except Bollandia Glasby, 1994 is monophyletic. Both analyses supported three of the four traditional subfamilies (Exogoninae, Syllinae and Autolytinae) as monophyletic, whereas Eusyllinae was clearly a polyphyletic group. The genera Anoplosyllis Claparède, 1868, Astreptosyllis Kudenov & Dorsey, 1982 , Streptosyllis Webster & Benedict, 1884, Streptospinigera Kudenov, 1983 and Syllides Örsted, 1845 comprise a well-supported monophyletic group, which we classified as a new subfamily: Anoplosyllinae n. subfam. Our results indicated high levels of homoplasy in the morphological characteristics that traditionally used to differentiate groups, such as the fusion of palps and the presence of nuchal epaulettes. Considering the reproductive modes, schizogamy has appeared twice in the family as the derived condition evolving from epigamy, and Exogoninae may be divided into two monophyletic groups based on the brood system.     

Autolytinae, Eusyllinae an Exogoninae (Syllidae: Polychaeta) from Coiba National Park, Panama)

This is the second paper on the Syllidae (Polychaeta) from hard substrata of the Coiba National Park (Pacific coast of Panama) (the first paper treated Syllinae). On this second paper nineteen species belonging to eleven genera of the subfamilies Autolytinae, Eusyllinae and Exogoninae (Syllidae: Polychaeta) are reported. The samples were collected by SCUBA diving, either by removing 4 kg blocks of dead coral (Pocillopora spp.) or scraping off 25 x 25 cm quadrats of Telesto multiflora or algae (Dyctiota cf. flavellata, Padina cf. durvillaei and another currently unidentified species). They were collected during four expeditions carried out between 1996 and 1998. Four species are newly reported for the Eastern Pacific: Eusyllis lamelligera Marion & Bobretzky, 1875, Exogone exmouthensis Hartmann-Schr?der, 1980, Proceraea cf. cornuta (Agassiz, 1863) and Sphaerosyllis (S.) magnidentata Perkins, 1981. Ten species are reported for the first time from the Central America Pacific coast: Amblyosyllis cf. granosa Ehlers, 1897 (sensu Westheide 1974), Amblyosyllis speciosa Izuka, 1912, Autolytus multidenticulatus Westheide, 1974, Exogone naidinoides Westheide, 1974, Grubeosyllis concinna (Westheide, 1974), Odontosyllis fulgurans (Audouin & Milne Edward, 1833), Opisthodonta mitchelli Kudenov & Harris, 1995, Pionosyllis articulata Kudenov & Harris, 1995, Sphaerosyllis (S.) californiensis Hartman, 1966 and Syllides cf. reishi Dorsey, 1978. The family Syllidae is represented in the Coiba National Park by 14% of cosmopolitan species, 14% of circumtropical species, 22% of Atlantic and Pacific species and 25% of Pacific species restricted to warm waters. In samples of dead coral the dominant species are S. armillaris (Muller, 1771) and S. gracilis (Campoy, 1982); in samples of telestaceans Grubeosyllis concinna dominates.     

A new species of Lepidasthenia (Polychaeta, Polynoidae) from Canary Islands

Lepidasthenia medanensis spn, is described from subtidal sandy bottom and beds of Cymodoceanodosa on the south west coast of Tenerife, Canary Islands.     

Syllidae (Polychaeta) from Thalassia testudinum beds at Morrocoy National Park (Venezuela)

A total of 40 species of syllids (Polychaeta: Syllidae) inhabiting Thalassia testudinum beds in Morrocoy National Park, Venezuela, belonging to 13 genera, are reported; 36 species are new for Venezuela: Branchiosyllis exilis, B. oculata, Eusyllis lamelligera, Exogone arenosa, E. breviantennata, E. naidinoides, E. naidina, E. parahomoseta mediterranea, Grubeosyllis clavata, G. heterocirra, Odontosyllis detecta, O. enopla, O. gibba, Opisthosyllis brunnea, Plakosyllis brevipes, Sphaerosyllis bilobata, S. glandulata, S. magnidentata, S. piriferopsis, S. riseri, S. longilamina, S. taylori, Syllis alosae, Syllis riojai, n. comb., S. beneliahui, S. broomensis, S. cornuta, S. corallicola, S. garciai, S. hyalina, S. lutea, S. mexicana, S. prolifera, S. sardai and Xenosyllis scabra.     

Endocrine control of reproductive periodicity in male Typosyllis prolifera (Polychaeta,Syllidae)

Under a “summer” light-temperature regime (LD 16:8, 20°C), the polychaete Typosyllis prolifera shows a spontaneous 30-day cycle of reproduction (stolonization). Previous experiments suggested cyclic reproduction to be controlled by corresponding changes in the inhibitory endocrine activity of the proventriculus. The evidence in this paper, however, indicates that the prostomium rather than the proventriculus is the primary source of control of reproductive periodicity. The prostomium of a “summer” male undergoes a spontaneous lunar cycle of hormonal activity. Hormone secretion occurs around day 13 after previous stolon release each time. The hormone probably operates a triggering mechanism that shifts worms from the postreproductive regeneration phase to the next stolonization phase. However, the action on peripheral targets may be indirectly via the proventricular system, the inhibitory activity of which probably becomes inactivated periodically under endocrine influence of the prostomium. Considering all the information available, a model of the cooperation of environmental factors and endocrine factors (prostomial and proventricular hormone) in the timing of the reproductive cycle in male T. prolifera is presented.     

A new species of Alcyonosyllis Glasby and Watson, 2001 (Polychaeta: Syllidae: Syllinae) from Shimoda,Japan, commensal with the gorgonian Melithaea flabellifera

A new species of Alcyonosyllis Glasby and Watson, 2001 (Polychaeta: Syllidae: Syllinae) is described from shallow water of Shimoda, Izu Peninsula, Japan. The worms were commensal with the gorgonian Melithae flabellifera (Kükenthal, 1909). Alcyonosyllis glasbyi n. sp. differs from all other species of the genus in having a single chaeta per parapodium. The genus is new to Japan.     

Exogoninae (Polychaeta: Syllidae) from the Mexican Caribbean region with a key for the Gran Caribbean species]

This paper identifies the Exogoninae (Syllidae) from the Mexican Caribbean coasts and includes a key to identify all the species recorded from the Grand Caribbean Sea. The classification of the family and the composition of Exogoninae are briefly examined; the correct names of the subfamilies are Syllinae Grube, 1850, Eusyllinae Malaquin, 1893, Autolytinae Malaquin, 1893 and Exogoninae Langerhans, 1879. Exogoninae includes Anguillosyllis Day, 1963, Brania de Quatrefages, 1866, Braniella Hartman, 1963, Exogone ?rsted, 1845, Exogonella Hartman, 1961, Exogonoides Day, 1963, Parapionosyllis Fauvel, 1923, Psammosyllis Westheide, 1990, Spermosyllis Claparède, 1864, and Sphaerosyllis Claparède, 1863. Pseudexogone Augener, 1922, formerly included in the group, is not a syllid; it belongs to Pilargidae. We collected 814 specimens belonging to 3 genera, 3 subgenera and 13 species as Brania (4), Exogone (4) and Sphaerosyllis (5); five new species are described: Brania russelli n. sp, Brania uebelackerae n. sp, Brania westheidei n. sp., Exogone (Exogone) bondi n. sp. and Exogone (Parexogone) sanmartini n. sp. For each species, selected references, diagnostic features, observations on morphological variability, distribution and illustrations are provided; new species also have an english diagnosis. Most abundant species were B. uebelackerae n. sp. (295), S. taylori Perkins (169), E. (E.) dispar Webster (76), and E. (E.) bondi n sp. (72).     

Syllinae (Syllidae: Polychaeta) of the Parque Nacional de Coiba, Panama]

Four expeditions were made to Coiba National Park between 1996 and 1998 to characterize this part of the poorly known Panamian Pacific polychaete fauna. The samples were collected by SCUBA diving, either by removing 4 kg blocks of dead coral (Pocillopora sp.) or scraping off 25 x 25 cm quadrats of Telesto multiflora or algae (Dyctiota cf. flavellata, Padina cf. durvillaei and another currently unidentified species). This paper deals with the Syllinae from hard substrates. Twenty-two species belonging to six genera of the subfamily Syllinae Grube, 1850 (Syllidae: Polychaeta) are reported. A new species, Syllis castroviejoi, is described. Four species are newly reported for the Eastern Pacific: Syllis beneliahuae (Campoy & Alquézar, 1982), S. botosaneanui (Hartmann-Schr?der, 1973), S. corallicola Verrill, 1900 and S. garciai (Campoy, 1982), and, likewise, two species are first reports for the Central American Pacific coast: Branchiosyllis pacifica Rioja, 1941 and Syllis truncata Haswell, 1920. Two species, Syllis magna (Westheide, 1974) and S. pigmentata (Chamberlin, 1919), are newly reported for Panama.     

On two new species of Mesochaetopterus (Polychaeta) from the Brazilian coast

Es wurden zwei neue Arten von Mesochaetopterus (Chaetopteridae) (Polychaeta) beschrieben und mit den restlichen Arten dieser Gattung verglichen.

Der 60 cm lange Mesochaetopterus xerecus zeigt eine gewisse Ähnlichkeit mit M. tay‐lori, aber unterscheidet sich durch die Länge und Pigmentierung der Tentakel, existenz von einem Paar Augen, Anzahl der Parapodien in der vorderen Körperregion, Form der dunklen starken Borsten des 4. Segments, Anzahl der "accessory feeding organs”;, Anzahl der Zähne der Haken der Neuropodia.

Mesochaetopterus xejubus ist eine kleinere Art von ungefähr 7 cm Länge und ist in Form und Größe M. minuta am ähnlichsten. Es unterscheidet sich jedoch durch die Form und Größe des Peristomium, Farbe der Tentakeln, Anzahl der Parapodia der vorderen Körperregion, Anzahl und Form der dunklen starken Borsten des 4. Para‐podiums der vorderen Region, Anzahl der "accessory feeding organs”;, Anzahl der Segmente der mittleren Körperregion, Anzahl der Zähne der Haken der Neuropodia und schleimdrüsenreiches Epithelium der mittleren Körperregion.