Glycera Lamarck, 1818
Glycera sp. 1
Voucher. VINSON WEST: station 1MFA and 38MFB.
Diagnosis. Voucher incomplete; medium sized species; body 20mm long for 60 chaetigers. Mid- body segments distinctly triannulate. Conical prostomium consisting of about 15 indistinct rings; terminal ring with four appendages. Proboscis with two types of papillae, both with subapical tufts of cilia: 1. numerous elongated, digitiform papillae with brown pigmentation, but without obvious rides (using light microscopy); 2. Less numerous shorter and broader, ovoid papillae with lighter brown pigmentation and with faint “finger-print” like pattern, composed of 3-4 wide rings. Terminal part of proboscis with four hook-shaped jaws arranged in a cross and accessory ailerons with slightly arched base (sensu Böggemann, 2002).
First two pairs of parapodia uniramous, following parapodia biramous. Two triangular to digitiform prechaetal lobes and one shorter, broad, distally rounded, somewhat truncated postchaetal lobe. Dorsal cirri oval to globular, positioned on body wall far above parapodial base. Ventral cirri slender triangular to digitiform, shorter than postchaetal lobes. Branchiae not observed (absent?). Noto- and neuropodia each with a single acicula. Notochaetae slender, straight or weakly recurved capillary with serration one side. Neurochaetae compound spinigers with blades of different lengths, with serration one side. Pygidium uknown.
Remarks. Commonly reported Glycera kerguelensis McIntosh, 1885 considered synonym of Glycera capitata by Böggemann (2002) has been shown cryptic diversity, with three clades revealed in molecular analysis of Schüller (2011). However Falkland Island specimens do not belong to G. kerguelensis as they possess ailerons with slightly arched base not triangular as defined by Böggemann (2002). In revision of Glyceridae carried out by Böggemann (2002) only G. oxycephala Ehlers, 1887 has similar ailerons, but can be distinguished by having both types of proboscidial papillae with distinct finger-print like pattern with several narrow rings. Falkland Island specimens likely represent a new species and should be formally described. Until such time we assign it morphospecies Glycera sp. 1.
REFERENCES:
Böggemann, M. (2002). Revision of the Glyceridae Grube 1859 (Annelida: Polychaeta). Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen naturforschenden Gesellschaft. 555: 1-249., available online at http://www.schweizerbart.de/publications/list/series/abh_senck
Böggemann, Markus 2009. Polychaetes (Annelida) of the abyssal SE Atlantic. Organisms Diversity & Evolution, 9, 252-428. , available online at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1439609209000464
Schüller, M., 2011. Evidence for a role of bathymetry and emergence in speciation in the genus Glycera (Glyceridae, Polychaeta) from the deep Eastern Weddell Sea. Polar Biology, 34(4), pp.549-564.
