Aonidella López-Jamar, 1989
Aonidella cirrobranchiata (Day, 1961) sensu López, 2010
Voucher. Vinson West: Station 1MFA , Endeavour: Station E4FB
Diagnosis. Two incomplete vouchers are the only examples of this species collected; both anterior fragments with 14 and 16 chaetigers, 3.5mm long and 0.6mm wide.
Prostomium broad, entire, anteriorly truncated, posterior margin of prostomium not discernable as completely fused with dorsum; occipital antenna absent; eyes not observed. Peristomium separated from prostomium, not well developed.
Branchiae present, but easily lost (completely missing in one specimen), small scars at the bases of notopodial lamellae of chaetiger 2 suggest branchiae start form chaetiger 2, but missing; initially branchiae smaller than corresponding notopodial lamellae, becoming longer (twice the length of the corresponding lamellae in chaetiger 10), cirriform; presence of branchiae (scars not observed) not confirmed past chaetiger 10. Both notopodial and neuropodial postchaetal lobes are small, short and tapering, except for notopodial lamellae on chaetiger two these are at least twice the size of those on other segments and more pigmented. Notochaetae present only in 16 chaetigers long fragments. Modified chaetae, dorsal crest, genital pouches and pygidium not observed.
Supplementary diagnosis. Additional specimen has been examined from another collection around Falkland Islands as part of taxonomic standardization exercise. This specimen was a longer anterior fragment of 27 chaetigers and presence of bidentate hooded hooks was confirmed from chaetiger 18; two teeth are widely apart, enclosing a nearly 45 degree angle.
Remarks. Although only two very short anterior fragments were available for examination the distinctive shape of prostomium allies this species with genus Aonidella. No SEM examination has been undertaken, therefore pits of 6th chaetiger cannot be confirmed (see Greaves et al. 2011 and Meißner et al. 2014).
Of the three known species in this genus, only A. insolita (Greaves, Meißner & Wilson, 2011) known from 393m depth in Shark Bay region, Indian Ocean, Australia can be easily distinguished by presence of genital pouches from segment 6. There is an extended discussion of rather subtle taxonomical differences between the other two species A. dayi López-Jamar, 1989 and A. cirrobranchiata (Day, 1961) presented in López (2010) and Meißner et al. (2014). López (2010) reported Aonidella from the Bellinghausen Sea (first record from the Southern Ocean) and assigned this specimen to South African A. cirrobranchiata (Day, 1961) as well as providing a detailed description of these specimens. The Bellinghausen Sea specimens agree well with Falkland Island specimen, which are therefore assigned here to this species.
