Sphaerodoropsis Hartman and Fauchald, 1971
Sphaerodoropsis sp. 3
Voucher. SEA LION: station 9MFC.
Diagnosis. Small-sized species; voucher specimen short and spindle-shaped; 1.2mm long and 0.3mm wide 13 chaetigers.
Prostomium with five digitiform appendages, including a pair of palps, in ventralmost position; a pair of lateral antenna, similar in shape and size to palps; and a median antenna, shorter (two thirds) than lateral antennae and club-shaped; a pair of tentacular cirri similar in shape and size to lateral antennae and palps.
One transverse rows of macrotubercles per chaetiger. Four sessile and distally rounded, enlarged globular macrotubercles per row; macrotubercles arranged in groups of 2, each group located dorsal to parapodia; macrotubercles rather indistinct, low lying.
Dorsum sparsely covered with small papillae, arranged in 2 more or less regular rows across each segment, about 5-6 papilla per row. Venter covered with scattered small papillae, arrangement similar to the one in dorsum.
Uniramous parapodia elongated, cylindrical; ventral cirri well developed, digiform. Parapodial papillae present; exact arrangement not established, but at least 3 small papillae easily observed.
Chaetae compound, unidentate, about 8 per fascicle.
Pygidium with digiform mid-ventral anal cirrus and a pair of lateral anal cirri.
Remarks. This species belongs to the largest group in genus Spaherodoropsis (species with 4 rows of macrotubercles). Careful comparison of papillation of venter and parapodia with known species will be necessary to establish the identity of this species. It resembles S. parva (Ehlers, 1913) but Falkland Island specimen differs in lack of eyes as well as greater level of papillation. Until further study we have assigned this species to morphospecies Sphaerodoropsis sp. 3.
