Artacama Malmgren, 1866
Artacama sp. 1
Voucher. INFLEXIBLE: station 5MFB and 4MFA.
Diagnosis. Small, slender species; both specimens are incomplete, with only 10 and 16 thoracic chaetigers respectively (thorax incomplete); the larger specimen 9mm long and 1mm wide with 16 chaetigers. Characteristic proboscis conical, densely and irregularly covered by small papillae; papillae globular at the base of proboscis, longer conical at the distal end of the proboscis. Peristomium dorsally with 3 large, convoluted lobes, their margins densely covered by very short ovoid tentacles. Eye spots or pigmentation absent. Branchiae present; 3 pairs on segments 2- 4; each branchial tuft composed of few (<10) simple filaments of unequal lengths arising from basal stump. Large ephridiophore conspicuous as a large opening on segment 3; not observed on subsequent segments. Notopodia from 3rd branchial segment (=segment 4), total number unknown (specimens incomplete). Notochaetae few, with short and long group, each chaetae broadly bilimbate, distally extending into long slender tip. Uncini present from chaetiger 2 (=segment 5; = 1st unciniger); arranged in single row in first 6 uncinigers, then from unciniger 7 in double rows; uncini avicular. The rest of body uknown.
Remarks. Of currently 9 known Artacama species, 3 have been described from the region. Artacama challengeriae McIntosh, 1885 from Kerguelen Islands, Artacama crassa Hartman, 1967 from Bransfield Straits and Artacama valparaisiensis Rozbaczylo and Mendez, 1996 from Valparaiso Bay, Chile. Of these, the last species can be distinguished by notochaetae with constrictions and all three species differ by having a large rounded proboscis with regular row of papillae rather than conical proboscis without regular pattern. However all three species are represented by large specimen, so the size difference may compound the comparison. Given the incompleteness of Falkland Islands material, the specimens are currently assigned to morphospecies Artacama sp. 1.