Praxillella sp. 1
Voucher specimen. SEA LION: station 35MFC, 71MFC, 73 MFC and 79 MFC.
Diagnosis. Small to medium sized species with well-developed cephalic and anal plaques, vouchers all complete specimens with 19 chaetigers and 6 pre-anal rings; all chaetigers of similar lengths, relatively short (only slightly longer than wide); anal rings 1-3 shorter, but not crowded, anal rings 4-6, crowded (could be overlook as a single ring). Colour in alcohol tan. Voucher 35 MFC 1.8mm long and 0.6mm wide.
Prostomium with well-developed cephalic plaque; high rim with one ventral, two ventro-lateral and two dorsolateral notches, palpode not developed; cephalic keel developed along the entire length of cephalic plaque; nuchal organs straight, bordering cephalic peak throughout its length.
First chaetiger with both noto- and neurochaetae. Neurochaete (uncini) reduced in number in chaetigers 1- 3, where uncini as stout, curved spines (occasionally much reduced dentition can be detected distally), 1-2 per fascicle; straw to light brown in colour. Rostrate hooks fully developed from 4th neuropodium, with barbells, around 10 per ramus in mid segments.
Anal plaque symmetrical, border by 28 anal cirri, moderately long, cirriform, of equal length with the exception of midventral cirrus (often missing), which is longer (twice the length of other cirri). Conical anus protruding from anal plaque.
Remarks. This species has been ascribed to genus Praxillella based on the combination of the following characters: well developed cephalic and anal plaques, symmetrical anal plaque border by cirri of (mostly) equal size, neurochaetae of chaetigers 1-3 as spines and anus protruding from anal plaque. Revision of Maldanidae form the region is needed and currently we ascribe Falkland Islands’ specimens to Praxillella sp. 1.
