Diopatra gallardoi Paxton 2016

Diopatra gallardoi Paxton, 2016

Figures 2 C–E; Table 1

Diopatra gallardoi Paxton, 2016: 2, figs 1–4.

Material examined. Type material. Holotype: (AM W.48373), RV “ Welwitschia ” sta.13, off Namibia, 18°00.4’S – 11°36.7’E, depth 144 m, 7 Dec 1996.

Non-type material. AM W.49210 (1 specimen), MNCN 16.01 /17810 (2 specimens) Playa Quemada, Lanzarote, Canary Islands, 28°54’16”N – 13°44’20”W, depth 1 m, Aug 2011.

Type locality. Eastern South Atlantic, off Namibia, 18°00.4’S – 11°36.7’E, depth 144 m.

Diagnosis. Prostomium anteriorly extended and pointed with two subulate frontal lips. Palps reaching chaetiger 3–5; long antennae, styles gradually tapering, ending in threadlike tips, median antenna reaching chaetiger 14–18, laterals to 16–20, with 13–22 ceratophoral rings, lateral projections absent; nuchal grooves crescentic to semicircular; peristomial cirri present. Anterior four chaetigers with bidentate pseudocompound hooks with long pointed hoods; single postchaetal lobes. Ventral parapodial lobes present; ventral cirri on four chaetigers. Subacicular hooks from chaetiger 17-21; pectinate chaetae with 14–19 teeth; very fine plumulose spiralled branchiae, first on chaetiger 4–5, last single filament on chaetiger 36–41. Colour pattern consisting of brown lines/bands on dorsal surface of anterior segments to overall brown (Figs 2 C–E); tube unknown.

Remarks. The three specimens from the Canary Islands are incomplete, measuring 16–38 mm in length for 32 to about 100 chaetigers and have a width of 2.5–3.0 mm; they are slightly smaller than the Namibian type series but agree well in all characteristics. This is the first record of D. gallardoi from the Canary Islands.

Distribution. Eastern Atlantic, Namibia, and Gran Canaria (Canary Islands); from intertidal to 144 m.