Eunice roussaei Quatrefages 1866

Eunice maxima Quatrefages, 1866

Eunice maxima Quatrefages, 1866:330.—Ehlers, 1868:310–311, pl. 15: figs. 30–34.

Nereis gigantea Chiaje, 1825:389, 424, pl. 27: figs. 1–8.

Eunice roussaei Quatrefages, 1866

Eunice roussaei Quatrefages, 1866:309–311, pl. 10: fig. 1–4.—Grube, 1870a:298.—Fauvel, 1917:220–225, fig. 19a–e, pl. 8 [in part].

Eunice gigantea Cuvier, 1830:200 [not Leodice gigantea Lamarck, 1818].

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—MNHN, Paris, 8 parapodia of specimen from Santander, identified by Fauvel.

DESCRIPTION.—The following comments are based on the original description and the other reports cited above, in addition to the examination of the parapodia available.

Antennae smooth or vaguely articulated, reaching setigers 3–4 (Fauvel, 1917). Peristomial cirri smooth or vaguely articulated, often as long as peristomium (Fauvel, 1917).

Branchiae from setigers 6–8 (Grube, 1870a), or from 6 to 10, most frequently from setigers 8–9 (Fauvel, 1917); maximum number of filaments 47 according to Grube (1870a). Maximum 30 filaments arranged in a single row along the very long, erect, stiff branchial stems in parapodia examined. Filaments filiform with slender, tapering tips, about as long as notopodial cirri except in anterior branchiated setigers. Branchiae distinctly outreach notopodial cirri in all parapodia examined.

Neuropodial acicular lobes bilobed (Figure 97a,f,j,n); lobes deeply to shallowly separated; aciculae emerging at midline. Presetal lobes low transverse folds. Anterior postsetal lobes (Figure 97a) distinct free, distally rounded lobes; median postsetal lobes follow outline of acicular lobes closely. Ventral cirri basally inflated early, perhaps from about setiger 10, forming distinct transverse inflated ridge in all other setigers examined; narrow tips short and button-shaped in all setigers. Notopodial cirri basally inflated, without articulations, decreasing in size posteriorly, both absolutely and in relation to the length of the branchiae.

Limbate setae slender and marginally frayed. Pectinate setae (Figure 97c,e,i,l) tapering with an abruptly flaring distal end in all setigers, flat. One marginal tooth larger than other teeth; ~10 relatively short and wide teeth present. Shafts of compound falcigers (Figure 97b,d,h,k) tapering, marginally smooth with distinct internal striations. Appendages relatively narrow, tapering with distinct large heads, bidentate. Both teeth equally well developed; proximal teeth triangular and distal teeth distinctly curved. Guards asymmetrically bluntly pointed and marginally smooth; mucros absent. Pseudocompound falcigers and compound spinigers absent. Aciculae paired, with dark brown cores and light colored sheaths, tapering to slender, straight tips; cross-section round. Subacicular hooks (Figure 97g,m) bidentate. Hooks paired. Hooks tapering to small heads with both teeth well developed; distal tooth longer than proximal tooth. Both teeth directed distally; most hooks with faded core and sheath development.

UNKNOWN MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES.—All features associated with anterior end; jaw structure; distributional characters; all characters associated with posterior end.

EXPECTED STATES OF SELECTED UNKNOWN FEATURES.—None.

CHARACTERS USED IN PREPARATION OF KEY NOT SCORED.—Inappropriate Characters: 56. Unknown Characters: 1–20, 24–26, 28, 29, 33, 36–40, 42, 47, 50–52, 57–60, 63, 80, 81

ASSUMED STATES FOR PURPOSE OF PREPARING KEY.—37,1; 38,1.