Table Of ContentPROCEEDINGS OFTHE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
113(4):1147-1150. 2000.
Parapionosyllis macaronesiensis, a new species of Exogoninae
(Polychaeta: Syllidae) from the Macaronesian Region
Maria del Carmen Brito, Jorge Nunez, and Guillermo San Martin
(MCB, JN) Departamento de Biologia Animal (Zoologia), Facultad de Biologia, Universidad de
La Laguna, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain;
(GSM) Departamento de Biologia, Unidad de Zoologia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad
Autonoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
—
Abstract. Parapionosyllis macaronesiensis new species, from the Maca-
ronesian region (Canary Islands, Madeira and Selvagens Islands), is described.
It is characterized by the shape ofthe dorsal simple seta, with 2-3 thick spines
subdistally on the convex side and the blades ofcompound setae provided with
coarse serrations on the cutting edge, especially the uppermost falcigers.
In a report on the interstitial fauna from The samples were collected by unaided
m
Madeira (Nuiiez et al. 1995), two juvenile diving and scuba diving from 4-18
specimens of an undescribed species were depth. PVC cores covering an area of 16
collected and reported as Parapionosyllis cm^ andpushed into the sediment to adepth
sp. Later, more specimens of this species of 30 cm, providing 450 cc silt for each
were collected in Lanzarote and Tenerife sample. Samples were divided into four
(Canary Islands) during a study of the in- parts of 0-5, 5-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm
terstitial communities of Cymodocea no- depth for the study of the vertical distribu-
dosa (Ucria) Ascherson (Brito 1999). Most tion of species. The sediment was washed
recently two more specimens were collect- and screenedthrough a 100 |JLmmesh sieve.
ed in the Ihleu de Fora (Selvagens Islands) The samples were treated with MgClj and
during the research project Macaronesia fixed with 10% formaldehyde in seawater.
2000. The specimens were transferredto 70% eth-
This new species differs from all others anol. Due to the size ofthe specimens, they
species ofParapionosyllis by its long-blad- were mounted whole in glycerine jelly and
ed uppermost compound setae, with blades examined with an optical microscope with
having long marginal serrations, and by its interference contrast (Nomarski).
solitary dorsal simple seta, provided with The material is deposited in the collec-
2-3 thick, subdistal spines. Inthispaper,the tions of the Department of Zoology of the
new species is described and discussed, and University ofLaLaguna (DZUL) andinthe
data on its ecology and reproduction are in- Museum of Natural Sciences of Tenerife
cluded. (TFMC).
Materials and Methods Subfamily Exogoninae Langerhans, 1879
Genus Parapionosyllis Fauvel, 1923
The samples from the Canary Islands Parapionosyllis macaronesiensis, new
were collected during a study ofthe meiob-
species
enthos from a sandy bottom and sea-grass
Fig. 1
(Cymodocea nodosa) habitats. Additional
material from sandy bottoms from Madeira Parapionosyllis sp. -Nuiiez et al., 1995: 6
and Selvagens Islands is included. (Ust).
1148 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
—
Type locality. Arrecife de Lanzarote wardly extending coarse serrations on edge,
(Canary Islands).— longer and thicker basally (Fig. IF), about
Type material. Holotype (microscopic 35 fxm on most anterior parapodia, 55 |jLm
slide) (TFMCN AN/000204), Arrecife de in midbody, 45-50 (im posteriorly. Falci-
Lanzarote (Canary Islands), Apr 1993, col. gers similar throughout; blades with round-
J. Nunez. One Paratype (microscopic slide) ed tip, provided with a subdistal spine, and
(DZUL PO-500), Ensenada de los Abades, long serrations on edge, especially on up-
Tenerife (Canary Islands), Nov 1994, col. J. permost setae; anterior dorso-ventral gra-
Nunez & M. C. Brito. — dation in length of falcigers; anterior falci-
Additional material. Two juvenile gers 17 |jLm above, 10 |xm below, posterior
specimens (microscopic slide) (DZUL PO- falcigers 15 (Jim above, 10 |xmbelow; shafts
501), Laginha, Ponta ofSan Louren§o (Ma- becoming thicker more ventrally and pos-
deira), Sep 1992, col. J. Nunez. Two spec- teriorly. Solitary dorsal simple seta from
imens (microscopic slide), (DZUL PO- anterior parapodia, unidentate, provided
502), Punta do Sul, Ihleu de Fora, (Selva- with 2-3 thick, subdistal spines (Fig. IH).
gens Islands), M—ay 1999, col. J. Nunez. Posterior parapodia each with solitary ven-
Description. Body long, thin and fili- tral simple sigmoid unidentate seta (Fig.
form, without coloration markings, nearly 3 II). Solitary thick aciculum in each para-
mm mm
long, 0.16 wide, for 29-32 setig- podium, distally rounded and hollow at the
ers. Prostomium semicircular to ovate, with tip (Fig. IC, E). Pharynx wide, extending
four small, red eyes in open trapezoidal ar- through about three segments, provided
rangement; antennae skittle-shaped; median with a conspicuous, conical middorsaltooth
antenna originating between posterior eyes, on the anterior rim. Proventriculus shorter
similar in length to prostomium and palps than pharynx, extending through about two
together, lateral antennae originating in segments, and with about 18 rows of mus-
front of anterior eyes, about 0.67 of length cle cells. Pygidium with two anal cirri, lon-
of median antenna. Palps broad, similar in ger than dorsal c—irri (Fig. IB).
length to prostomium, fused along basal Reproduction. The holotype is amature
half, leaving a middorsal seam and frontal female collected in April, with one oocyte
scar (Fig. lA). One pair of tentacular cirri, in setigers 12, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 20. One
originating ventro-laterally to lateral anten- of the specimens collected from Selvagens
nae but somewhat short; peristomium dor- Islands in May is a female exhibiting ex-
sally reduced, covered by a dorsal lip of ternal gestation; juveniles on the dorsolat-
first setiger. Dorsal cirri on all setigers, sim- eral body surface above parapodia 15-19.
ilar in length or smaller than lateral anten- This kind of gestation is a common feature
nae, sometimes having a pseudoarticulated of the Exogo—ninae (Pierantoni 1903).
appearance. Parapodia conical, proportion- Remarks. Parapionosyllis macarone-
ally short, rounded, with a small distal pa- siensis is very similar to P. brevicirra Day,
pilla; ventral cirri digitiform, slightly longer 1954 in having some compound setae with
than parapodial lobe. Each segment with 1- long blades; however they differ in the fol-
2 subdermal, dorsal glands on each side, lowing:
with yellowish granular material. Anterior The compound setae ofP. macaronesien-
parapodia each with one long-bladed com- sis, especially the long bladed ones, have
pound seta and 5-7 other falcigers with very long, upwardly extending serrations
shorter blades (Fig. ID); progressively, on the margins of the blades; the serrations
number of falcigers decreasing to 2-5 in of the blades ofP. brevicirra are short and
posterior parapodia (Fig. IG). Long blades straight.
unidentate, with tips rounded and provided Parapionosyllis brevicirra was described
with a subdistal fine spine and long, up- as lacking parapodial glands (Day 1954,
VOLUME 113, NUMBER 4 1149
Fig. 1. Parapionosyllismacaronesiensis, new species, Holotype. A. Anteriorendandmidbody, dorsal view.
B. Posterior end, dorsal view. C. Aciculum, anterior parapodia. D. Anterior compound setae. E. Aciculum,
posteriorparapodia. F. Long-bladed compound seta from posterior parapodia. G. Posterior compound setae. H.
Dorsal simple seta. I. Ventral simple seta. Scale bar: 90 |xm for A, B; 20 ixm for C-I.
Hatmann-Schroder 1962, San Martin and also shorter serration on the edge. P.
1984); however, Alos et al. (1983) de- cabezali, furthermore, has two kinds of
scribed several specimens of this species parapodial glands.
fromthe Mediterranean sea, whichonly dif- Parapyonosyllis uebelackeare San Mar-
fered from previous descriptions in having tin, 1991 is also a very similar species but
parapodial glands with fibrilar material; in it has long-bladed compound setae only on
the same material, several specimens had the anterior parapodia, which are propor-
few glands or lacked them. P. macarone- tionally shorter and provided with shorter
siensis has parapodial glands only with serrations (San Martin 1991). P. floridana
granular material. San Martin, 1991 has longer, apparently
The dorsal simple seta of P. brevicirra biarticulated dorsal cirri, a longer pharynx,
has similar spines on its margin; P. maca- lacks parapodial glands and the dorsal sim-
ronesiensis has the dorsal simple seta with ple seta has—several, equal serrations.
spines of different sizes. Ecology. The collecting depth varied
m m
Parapionosyllis macaronesiensis differs from 4 in the station ofMadeira to 18
from P. minuta (Pierantoni, 1903), P. ges- in the Selvagens Islands. The specimens in-
tans (Pierantoni, 1903), P. elegans (Pier- habited sandy areas lacking vegetation as
antoni, 1902), P. labronica Cognetti, 1965, well as areas within beds of the seagrass
P. longicirrata (Webster & Benedict, 1884) Cymodocea nodosa. In reference to the ver-
(Perkins 1981), and P. cabezali Parapar et tical distribution in the sediment, all the in-
al., 2000, mainly in the shape and size of dividuals were collected in the superficial
the compound setae. All these species have level (0-5 cm).—
compound setae with much shorter blades Distribution. Central East Atlantic:
—
1150 PROCEEDINGS OFTHE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
Madeira Islands, Selvagens Islands and Ca- Hartmann-Schroder, G. 1962. Zur Kenntnis-Eulitorals
nary Islands. — der Chilenischen Pazifikkiiste und derargentin-
ischen Kuste Siidpatagoniens unter besonderer
Etymology. The derivatio nominis, of
Greek etymology, refers to Macaronesia Bceordieinc.ksDiicehtPiogluyncghadeetrenPodelsycEhualeittoernalsu.n—dMOistttreai--
(makaro = happiness; nesoi = islands), the lugen aus dem Hamburgischen zoologischen
biogeographical region in which the speci- Museum und Institut 60 (Suppl. vol):57-169.
mens of this species were collected. Nunez,J.,M.Pascual,J.D.Delgado,&G.SanMartin.
1995. Interstitial Polychaetes from Madeira,
with —a description of Syllides bansei Perkins,
Acknowledgments 1981. Bocagiana 179:1-7.
Parapar, J., San Martin, G., & J. Moreira. 2000. Par-
This paper was partially supportedby the apionosylliscabezali, anew speciesofEx—ogon-
projects "Macaronesia 2000" of the Mu- inae (Polychaeta: Syllidae) from Spain. Pro-
seum of Natural Sciences of Santa Cruz de ceedings ofthe Biological Society ofWashing-
Tenerife. We also thankthe two anonymous ton 113:526-531.
Perkins, T. H. 1981. Syllidae (Polychaeta), principally
reviewers whose comments greatly im- from Florida, with description—s ofa new genus
proved the manuscript. and twenty-one new species. Proceedings of
the Biological Society of Washington 93(4):
1080-1172.
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