Eunice rullieri Fauchald 1992

Eunice rullieri

Eunice aphroditois punctata Fishelson and Rullier, 1969:74–76, fig. 2a–e.

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—Two syntypes, Zoological Museum, Tel-Aviv University, 7134 and 7563, ?Cundabilu, Red Sea.

DESCRIPTION.—Large syntype (7563) complete with 72 setigers; total length 24 mm; maximal width 3 mm; length through setiger 10, 5 mm. Other syntype with 49 setigers; length 15 mm; maximal width 3 mm; length through setiger 10, 4 mm. Remaining color pattern a grayish brown base color, with 3 rows of large white blotches dorsally. Body rather wide anteriorly, tapering to slender posterior end, basically conical with both dorsal and ventral side convex. Anal cirri long, subdistally inflated.

Prostomium (Figure 99f) distinctly shorter and narrower than peristomium, as deep as of peristomium. Prostomial lobes frontally rounded, dorsally inflated; median sulcus deep. Eyes at bases of A-II, small. Antennae in a horseshoe, evenly spaced, similar in thickness. Ceratophores ring-shaped in all antennae, without articulations. Ceratostyles thick and digitiform, without articulations. Three median antennae to posterior peristomial ring; A-I to middle of anterior peristomial ring. Peristomium cylindrical with thickened yoke forming nuchal fold; lower lip thickened and slightly set off from rest of peristomium. Separation between rings distinct only dorsally; anterior ring of total peristomial length. Peristomial cirri to posterior edge of anterior peristomial ring, ovate, without articulations.

Jaws not examined.

Branchiae present, pectinate, distinctly longer than notopodial cirri, not reduced in mid-body region, flexible. Branchiae from setiger 5 to setiger 70. Branchiae present to near posterior end, present on more than 65% of total number of setigers. All branchiae, except last 4–5 pairs, with 2 or more filaments; maximum 5 filaments at about setiger 10. Branchial stems tapering, flexible. Filaments digitiform, thick, shorter than notopodial cirri.

Neuropodial acicular lobes symmetrically rounded, becoming narrower posteriorly, with elevated portions where superiormost aciculae emerge. All presetal lobes low, transverse folds. Anterior postsetal lobes rounded, outreaching acicular lobes, becoming low transverse folds from about setiger 15. First 4 ventral cirri thick, tapering. Ventral cirri basally inflated from setiger 5 to about setiger 30. Inflated bases ovate; narrow tips tapering. Posterior ventral cirri broadly attached, tapering. All notopodial cirri prominent, thick, spindle-shaped, strongly inflated medially (Figure 99j), without articulations, very much longer than branchiae in posterior half of body.

Limbate setae marginally serrated. Pectinate setae (Figure 99g) tapering, flat. Both marginal teeth slightly longer than other teeth; ~10 teeth present. Number of pectinate setae increasing posteriorly, becoming dominant setal element in dorsal fascicle. Shafts of compound falcigers (Figure 99i) tapering, marginally serrated, with distinct internal striations. Appendages triangular, tapering to large heads, bidentate. Proximal teeth larger than distal teeth, slender, tapering, directed laterally. Distal teeth distinctly bent. Guards angularly bluntly and symmetrically rounded, strongly serrated towards base; mucros absent. Pseudocompound falcigers and compound spinigers absent. Aciculae paired, with dark brown cores and clear sheaths, tapering, distally straight, projecting well beyond tip of acicular lobes; cross-sections round. Subacicular hooks (Figure 99h) with dark brown cores and clear sheaths, bidentate. Hooks first present from setiger 19, present in all setigers thereafter, paired in most setigers. Hooks slender, tapering to small heads. Proximal teeth larger than distal teeth, curved, directed laterally. Distal teeth narrow, obliquely curved.

UNKNOWN MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES.—Jaw structure.

EXPECTED STATES OF UNKNOWN MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES.—None.

CHARACTERS USED IN PREPARATION OF KEY NOT SCORED.—Inappropriate Characters: 22, 56, 58, 59. Unknown Characters: 4,6.

ASSUMED STATES FOR PURPOSE OF PREPARING KEY.—None.