Spirorbinae (Polychaeta:Serpulidae) from Chios (Aegean Sea)

Twelve species are described, of which two are new, viz. Spirorbis (Janua) gnomonicus and Spirorbis (J.) parvulus, and three others have been recognized only very recently, viz. S. (Pileolaria) clavus, S. (P.) endoumensis, S. (P.) heteropoma. Some such as 5. (jf.) corrugatus and S. (P.) koehleri were widely distributed between depths of 0–60 m, but others showed a tendency towards depth zonation, with S.(J.)pagenstecheri abundant in shallow and S. (Spirorbis) cuneatus in somewhat less shallow water. 5. (P.) pseudomilitaris and S. (Marsipospira) striatus were confined to greater depths except where the former occurred amongst ships fouling and the latter in a dark cave. 5. (P.) militaris seems rather uncommon.
A remarkably high percentage of the species (over 80%) are opercular incubators. Outside the Mediterranean, the only areas known to have similar percentages are Ceylon and the West Indies, suggesting that the habit may have originated in the Sea of Tethys.