Sergio I. Salazar-Vallejo

Caruncle in Megalomma Johansson, 1925 (Polychaeta: Sabellidae) and the description of a new species from the Eastern Tropical Pacific

The presence of a caruncle in the polychaete family Sabellidae is documented. It is placed dorsally above the mouth, between the dorsal lips, supported with hyaline cartilage constituted by a homogeneous eosinophilic matrix and it is innervated directly from the cerebral ganglion. The caruncle surface has four longitudinal ciliated bands; the cilia from the lateral bands are hypertrophied, wider distally, tongue‐like, forming a ciliated curtain or membranella. The genus Megalomma is emended based on the presence of a caruncle, a long dorsalmost radiolar pair, a high number of radiolar skeletal cells, and the presence of interramal eyespots. We describe a new species from Acapulco in the Tropical Eastern Pacific –Megalomma carunculata sp. nov. It has a caruncle, subtriangular ventral lappets, well developed dorsal pockets, compound eyes in all radioles, and interramal eyespots in the thoracic and abdominal segments.

Redescriptions of Sigambra grubii Müller, 1858 and Hermundura tricuspis Müller, 1858 from Brazil and designation of neotypes (Polychaeta: Pilargidae)

Fritz Muller (1858) described polychaetes from Santa Catharina Island, Brazil. His type material was lost and his descriptions were brief. In an attempt to clarify the taxonomic status of his pilargids and to complete a revision of the pilargid genera of the world, some polychaetes collected at the type locality were analysed. On the basis of 16 specimens, Sigambra grubii is redescribed and the differences from S. bassi (Hartman, 1945) are clarified; S. grubbi is smaller and its median antenna is shorter than that of S. bassi. With one specimen of Hermundura tricuspis, the differences from other species are recognized, and Hermundura is regarded as a junior synonym of Parandalia Emerson & Fauchald, 1971. Neotypes are designated and deposited in the Smithsonian Institution. Keys to all species are also included for both genera.

Revision of Pilargis de Saint‐Joseph, 1899 (Annelida, Polychaeta, Pilargidae)

Pilargis de Saint‐Joseph, 1899 includes seven species and one subspecies: P. berkeleyae Monro, 1933, P. maculata Hartman, 1947, P. modesta Intes and le Loeuff, 1975, P. mohri Gallardo, 1968, P. papillata Rasmussen, 1973, P. tardigrada (Webster, 1879), P. verrucosa de Saint‐Joseph, 1899, and P. verrucosa pacifica Uschakov, 1955. Two species (P. verrucosa and P. berkeleyae) have been recorded from widespread localities. However, no comparison with type material has been done, and there might be some different forms under the same name. We have reviewed all the available type material in order to clarify the taxonomy of this group. A critical analysis of morphological features and a standardization of their structure and variability have been attempted. Six species are redescribed, one species is characterized after published accounts, and one subspecies is elevated to species. Four are described as new: Pilargis angeli n. sp., P. cholae n. sp., P. rozbaczyloi n. sp., and P. wolfi n. sp. Three others based on damaged material are briefly characterized. A key for Pilargis species is included.

Lobo Orensanz (1945-2015) y su contribución al conocimiento de los poliquetos (Annelida)

Jose Maria Orensanz, better known as ‘Lobo’ since his childhood, made different scientific contributions on the taxonomy of marine or estuarine annelids, as ...

Elisesione, a new name for Wesenbergia Hartman, 1955, and the description of a new species (Annelida, Hesionidae)

Abstract Wesenbergia Hartman, 1955 (Annelida, Hesionidae) is both preoccupied and a junior homonym of Wesenbergia Kryger, 1943 (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae), and must be renamed. Elisesione nom. n. is proposed as a replacement name, derived from the combination of the first name of the discoverer, Elise Wesenberg-Lund, and Hesione Savigny in Lamarck, 1818. Elisesione mezianei sp. n., is described from the Wallis and Futuna islands (southwest Pacific). A key to separate Elisesione mezianei sp. n. from its congener Elisesione problematica (Wesenberg-Lund, 1950) is included; further, the record of Elisesione problematica for Japan should be regarded as a distinct species because it has palps shorter than antennae (subequal in the type species), and shorter neurochaetal blades (7–9 times longer than wide vs 8–12 times longer than wide in the type species).

Lepidasthenia loboi sp. n. from Puerto Madryn, Argentina (Polychaeta, Polynoidae).

Abstract Among polychaetes, polynoids have the highest number of symbiotic species found living with a wide variety of marine invertebrates, including other polychaetes. Lepidasthenia Malmgren, 1867 and Lepidametria Webster, 1879 were regarded as synonyms but belong to different subfamilies, although both have species associated with thelepodid or terebellid polychaetes. In this contribution Lepidasthenia loboi sp. n. is described from several specimens associated with the thelepodid Thelepus antarcticus Kinberg, 1867, collected on a rocky shore near Puerto Madryn, Argentina. Lepidasthenia loboi sp. n. can be confused with Lepidasthenia esbelta Amaral & Nonato, 1982 because both live with Thelepus, are of similar sizes with similar pigmentation patterns, and have giant neurochaetae. However, in Lepidasthenia loboi sp. n. all eyes are of the same size, cephalic and parapodial cirri are tapered and mucronate, the second pair of elytra is larger than the third, the ventral cirri arise at the base of parapodia such that they do not reach chaetal lobe tips, and neuraciculae are tapered. On the contrary, in Lepidasthenia esbelta the posterior eyes are larger than anterior ones, cephalic and parapodial appendages are swollen subdistally, the second and third pairs of elytra are of the same size, the ventral cirri arise medially such that their tips reach the neurochaetal lobe tips, and the neuraciculae have falcate tips. Some comments about other genera in the Lepidastheniinae, a simplified key to its genera, and a key to Lepidasthenia species with giant neurochaetae are also included.