Drilonereis tenuis (Ehlers, 1901)
Drilonereis tenuis (Ehlers, 1901)
Voucher specimen. TOROA: station 10TFA.
Diagnosis. Specimens from 10TFA x 27 and 40 mm in length with 129 chaetigers and 187 chaetigers respectively. Long slender body with slight reddish colour in preserved specimens. Prostomium flattened with mid-dorsal furrow or depression, long, triangular, distally rounded. No eyes. Posterior chaetigers maldanid-like with a collar and distinct proximal edge. Parapodia small, with prechaetal lobes larger than prechaetal.
Mandibles small. Five pairs of maxillae; Max I with four teeth gradually decreasing in size distally; Max II with 8 – 12 teeth; Max III one long tooth anteriorly then 4 smaller teeth decreasing in size distally; Max IV one large tooth sometimes with 1 or 2 small teeth, Max V with one pointed tooth/edge. Maxillary carriers fused at anterior end with two long thin branches extending distally.
Chaetae simple limbates and large black aciculae.
Remarks. The maldanid-like form of the chaetigers in mid and posterior chaetigers is very distinctive. However, Orensanz (1990) remarks that this genus is not well studied so other species may share this characteristic.
This species has been recorded from the Falkland Islands and southern Atlantic slopes of South America at depths of 20–660 m.
