dcsimg

Comprehensive Description

provided by Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology
Eunice pennata (Müller, 1776)

Nereis pennata Müller, 1776:217; 1779:60–61, pl. 29: figs. 1–3.

Leodice norwegica Lamarck, 1818:323.—Savigny, 1820:51.—Audouin and Milne Edwards, 1833:219.—Örsted, 1845:402, 406, pl. 2: figs. 13–15.—Grube, 1850:202 [in part, not Nereis norvegica Linnaeus, 1767].

Eunice pennata.—Fauvel, 1923:400–401, fig. 156h-o.

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—Two specimens, USNM 97393, Storskjaer, Oslofjorden, Norway, 8 June 1982, dredged, coll. and id. Inger Winsnes.

DESCRIPTION.—Both specimens complete, mature females with large oocytes in body cavity. Specimen illustrated with 114 setigers; total length 73 mm; maximal width 3 mm; length through setiger 10, 7.5 mm. Other specimen in posterior regeneration, with 100 setigers; last 20 in regenerating portion; length 57 mm long of which 9 mm in regenerating portion; maximal width 5 mm wide; length through setiger 10, 9 mm. Body dorsally strongly convex with flattened ventral surface, tapering abruptly frontally and slowly towards posterior end. Anal cirri slender, without articulations; long ones as long as last 3–4 setigers in illustrated specimen.

Prostomium (Figure 87g) distinctly shorter and narrower than peristomium, less than as deep as peristomium. Prostomial lobes frontally obliquely truncate, dorsally inflated; median sulcus shallow. Eyes lateral to bases of A-II, purple. Antennae in a horseshoe, with A-III isolated by a gap, with A-I thicker than other 3. Ceratophores ring-shaped in all antennae, without articulations. Ceratostyles slender and tapering to fine tips, with long, irregularly spaced articulations; in A-I articulations drop-shaped distally. A-III lost or incomplete in both specimens. A-I to posterior peristomial ring; A-II to setiger 4 or 5. Peristomium cylindrical. Separation between rings distinct on all sides, but especially well marked dorsally and ventrally; anterior ring of total peristomial length. Peristomial cirri to middle of prostomium, slender, with 3 or 4 irregular, but relatively long articulations.

Maxillary formula (examined in one specimen only) 1+1, 6+7, 9+0, 6+11, and 1+1. Mx III long, located behind left Mx II. Teeth of Mx II relatively coarse and triangular; other teeth small, even in size and distally blunt.

Branchiae (Figure 87h,k) present, pectinate, distinctly longer than notopodial cirri, not reduced in mid-body region, erect. Branchiae from setiger 3 to setiger 39 or 41. Branchiae terminating well before posterior end, present on less than 55% of total number of setigers. First 5 and last 2 pairs single filaments; maximally 12 filaments at about setiger 15. Branchial stems slender, erect, tapering. Filaments shorter than notopodial cirri. All filaments flattened, medially expanded, with knife-shaped tips.

Prebranchial and branchial neuropodial acicular lobes obliquely truncate with aciculae emerging from upper, higher part. Postbranchial acicular lobes (Figure 87p) obliquely rounded. All presetal lobes low, slightly excavate, transverse folds. Prebranchial and branchial postsetal lobes free, symmetrically rounded lobes, visible behind acicular lobes in most setigers; postbranchial postsetal lobes following outline of acicular lobes closely. Anterior ventral cirri relatively slender, tapering, becoming basally inflated from about setiger 6–7, but even in first setigers, distal tips set off from remainder of ventral cirri by a groove. Inflated bases ovate, rather modest; narrow tips very large and tapering. From about setiger 35 basal inflation gradually lost, absent from about setiger 40. Posterior ventral cirri slender, tapering, nearly conical. Anterior notopodial cirri long, digitiform, with 3 to 4 articulations reduced to 1 to 2 in early branchiated setigers. In branchial region notopodial cirri more distinctly tapering, gradually loosing all traces of articulations. Postbranchial notopodia with distinct ring-shaped bases and slender, tapering notopodial cirrostyles.

Limbate setae marginally smooth. Pectinate setae (Figure 87j,m,n) tapering, flat. One marginal tooth longer than other teeth; number of teeth increasing from 8 to 12 from anterior to posterior setigers. Shafts of compound falcigers (Figure 87i,1) inflated, internally striated, marginally serrated. Appendages tapering, bidentate. Proximal teeth smaller than distal teeth, broadly triangular, directed laterally. Distal teeth nearly erect or gently curved. Guards asymmetrically sharply pointed in anterior setigers, becoming symmetrically sharply pointed in median and posterior setigers, marginally serrated in median and posterior setigers; mucros absent. Pseudocompound falcigers and compound spinigers absent. Aciculae usually paired, yellow, tapering to slender tips, gently curved or straight; cross-section round. Separation of cores and sheaths indistinct in both aciculae and subacicular hooks. Subacicular hooks (Figure 87o) yellow, bidentate. Hooks first present from setiger 35 or 43, present in all setigers thereafter, sometimes paired. Hooks tapering to small heads. Proximal teeth larger than distal teeth, triangular, directed laterally. Distal teeth nearly erect.

UNKNOWN MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES.—None.

EXPECTED STATES OF UNKNOWN MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES.—None.

CHARACTERS USED IN PREPARATION OF KEY NOT SCORED.—Inappropriate Characters: 56, 58, 59. Unknown Characters: 4, 6, 23.

ASSUMED STATES FOR PURPOSE OF PREPARING KEY.—None.
license
cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
bibliographic citation
Fauchald, Kristian. 1992. "A Review of the Genus Eunice (Polychaeta: Eunicidae) Based upon Type Material." Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology. 1-422. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00810282.523

Distribution

provided by World Register of Marine Species
Greenland; Iceland; Norway to France; Mediterranean; Davis Strait; off Newfoundland to off Florida

Reference

North-West Atlantic Ocean species (NWARMS)

license
cc-by-4.0
copyright
WoRMS Editorial Board
contributor
Kennedy, Mary [email]

Habitat

provided by World Register of Marine Species
bathyal of the Gulf and estuary

Reference

North-West Atlantic Ocean species (NWARMS)

license
cc-by-4.0
copyright
WoRMS Editorial Board
contributor
Kennedy, Mary [email]

Habitat

provided by World Register of Marine Species
Known from seamounts and knolls

Reference

Stocks, K. 2009. Seamounts Online: an online information system for seamount biology. Version 2009-1. World Wide Web electronic publication.

license
cc-by-4.0
copyright
WoRMS Editorial Board
contributor
[email]