Harmothoe spinifera

Harmothoe spinifera (Ehlers, 1864)

(Figs. 1, 31A–H)

Polynoe spinifera Ehlers, 1864: 95, pl. 3 figs. 1–4, 6; Claparède, 1868: 376, pl. 2 fig. 4A–E.

Harmothoe spinifera: Fauvel, 1923: 64, fig. 23f–l; Chambers & Muir, 1997: 110, fig. 29; Barnich & Fiege (2000): 1894, figs. 2A, 3A–C; Barnich & Fiege (2003): 53, figs. 12A, 28A–C.

Polynoe torquata Claparède, 1868: 378, pl.2 fig. 3.

Polynoe laevigata Claparède, 1870: 378, pl. 1 fig.3a–h.

Harmothoe sibbaldii McIntosh, 1876a: 378, pl. 1 fig. 3a–h.

Harmothoe meteorae Augener, 1931: 279 fig. 1 [new synonymy].

Type material. Polynoe spinifera, Polynoe laevigata, and Harmothoe sibbaldii: types probably lost.

Polynoe torquata: 2 slides, MHNG 795, 796, with elytra and parapodia, probably from type material.

Harmothoe meteorae: 1 syntype, ZMH V10236, Meteor 1925–1927, Gulf of Guinea, Fernando Po, Sta. Isabella, shallow water, leg. Hentschel.

Additional material. NE Atlantic: 1 spm., SMF 15275, Georg Berna-Expedition 1861, N Norway, Molde Fjord. 1 spm., SMF 17284, N Norway, Tromsø area, some km E of Hansnes, 26 April 2002, exposed shore, below stones, leg. & ded. C. d’Udekem d’Acoz. 3 spms., SMF 17285–17287, N Norway, Tromsø area, Kroken, 12/ 13 March 2005, shore, leg. & ded. C. d’Udekem d’Acoz. 2 spms., SMF 11744, Azores, Faial Island, Monte da Guia, on Antipathes, 19 August 1999, leg. C. d’Udekem d’Acoz & P. Wirtz. 1 spm., SMF 11810, Azores, Faial Island, Porto, 1m, below Paracentrotus lividus, 09 June 1999, leg. P. Wirtz. 1 spm., SMF 11808, Azores, Faial Island, Monte da Guia, 41 m, on shell growing on Antipathes, 18 August 1999, leg. C. d’Udekem d’Acoz.

Mediterranean: 1 spm. (juvenile), SMF 9192, Banyuls-sur-mer, coralligène, 26 March 1997, 26 m, leg. D. Fiege and R. Barnich.

(For further material see Barnich & Fiege 2000 and 2003).

Diagnosis. Anterior pair of eyes anteroventral beneath cephalic peaks. Elytral margin smooth (except for very short papillae on anteriormost elytra), surface covered by scattered, low, conical microtubercles. In ethanol first elytra more or less unpigmented, second and third very dark, following mottled brownish.

Description (based on additional specimen SMF 9192 in good condition, except for number and insertion of elytra based on other specimens mentioned above).

Body with 31 segments. At anterior end (Fig. 31A), prostomium bilobed, with distinct cephalic peaks; ceratophore of median antenna in anterior notch, lateral antennae inserted ventrally, styles of antennae papillate, tapering subdistally to filiform tip; anterior pair of eyes situated anteroventrally beneath cephalic peaks, posterior pair dorsally near hind margin of prostomium; palps papillate, tapering.

Tentaculophores inserted laterally to prostomium, each with one notochaeta and a dorsal and ventral tentacular cirrus, styles of cirri papillate, tapering subdistally to filiform tip. Second segment with first pair of elytra, biramous parapodia, and long buccal cirri. Following segments with tapering, short ventral cirri.

Fifteen pairs of elytra, covering dorsum, on segments 2, 4, 5, 7, then on every second segment to 23, 26, 29, 32; elytral margin smooth (except for very short papillae on anteriormost elytra), surface covered by scattered, low, conical microtubercles (in ethanol first elytra more or less unpigmented, second and third very dark, following mottled brownish) (Fig. 31B,C). Cirrigerous segments with distinct dorsal tubercles; dorsal cirri with cylindrical cirrophore, style papillate, tapering subdistally to filiform tip.

Parapodia biramous; notopodia with elongate acicular lobe; neuropodia with elongate prechaetal acicular lobe with digitiform supra-acicular process; neuropodial postchaetal lobe shorter than prechaetal lobe, rounded; tips of noto- and neuroacicula penetrating epidermis (Fig. 31D). Notochaetae stouter than neurochaetae; with distinct rows of spines and blunt tip (Fig. 31E,F); neurochaetae with distinct rows of spines, tips all bidentate with distinct secondary tooth (Fig. 31G,H).

Measurements. H. meteorae, syntype, ZMH V10236: L 10 mm, W 2.5 mm for 37 segments. Specimen figured, SMF 9192 (Fig. 31A–H): L 10 mm, W 2 mm for 31 chaetigers (juvenile).

Distribution. Northeast Atlantic from northern Norway to Gulf of Guinea, Mediterranean Sea.

Habitat. Occurs in various habitats down to 35 m.