Scololepis sp. 1

Scolelepis Blainville, 1828

Scoelelepis sp. 1

Voucher specimens. Sea Lion: Stations 11MFB, 22MFA and 26MFC.

Diagnosis. Vouchers are the only examples of this species collected in this study. First voucher in bad condition, consisting of 17 chaetigers only; fragment is wide, flattened, measuring 3mm long and 1.2mm wide.

Prostomium is Scolelepis-like narrow, long, pointed - anteriorly produced into thin cirrus-like extension; posteriorly extending into two short loops; occipital antenna not observed (however a small scar at base of prostomium suggests it may be present); eyes not observed. Neuropodial hooded hooks appear from chaetiger 13 as single unidentate spine assuming fully developed bi-dentate form by chaetigers 15, two teeth well separated, with main fang at least twice the length of the secondary tooth, large round hood present; 5 per fascicle.

Vouchers 22 MFA and 26MFC better preserved, incomplete specimen, 4.5mm long and 1.5-1.8mm wide for 18 and 19 chaetigers.

Prostomium same as in first voucher, occipital antenna clearly present (in voucher 22MFA), presence of notochaetae in first chaetigers confirmed. Additionally, branchiae can be observed fully fused to notopodial lamellae except for the most distal end in chaetigers 2 and 3, becoming more distinguishable from chaetiger 4. Margin of notopodial lamellae crenulated (lamellae in folds). Neuropodial lamellae well developed on all chaetigers (smallest on chaetiger 1) as a semi-oval lobe. Neuropodial hooded hooks appear from chaetiger 15. The rest of the body unknown.

Remarks. Although only incomplete diagnosis could be given based on 3 (one of them rather damaged) specimens, the characters observed are enough to conclude that FI specimen constitutes a different species form Scolelepis currently known from the region (see Table 1. for summary). The species most similar to FI specimens is Scolelepis eltaninae Blake, 1983  in abruptly narrowing extension of anterior prostomial margin, possessing the occipital antenna and notochaetae in first chaetiger. The two species clearly differ in distribution and form on neuropodial hooded hooks (see Table 1 for details). The FI specimen very likely represent a new species and will be formally described.

Table 1. Characters of Scolelepis species reported from the region