Paradiopatra ehlersi McIntosh 1885

Paradiopatra ehlersi (McIntosh, 1885)

Nothria ehlersi McIntosh, 1885: 327, pl. 26A, figs 5–7; pl. 35A, fig. 2; pl. 42, figs 1–3. Nothria armandi McIntosh 1885: 330, pl. 26A, figs 8–10; pl. 41, figs 11–13.

Diopatra paucibranchis Ehlers, 1908: 81, pl. 10, figs 12–16; pl. 11, figs 1–6.

Onuphis pachytmema Chamberlin, 1919: 279, pl. 48, figs 5–11; pl. 49, figs 1–8; pl. 50, figs 1–6. Onuphis socia Chamberlin, 1919: 284, pl. 47, figs 1–11; pl. 48, figs 1–4.

Onuphis (Onuphis) iberica Hartmann-Schröder, 1975:63, figs 26–31.

Sarsonuphis ehlersi.— Fauchald 1982: 70, fig. 21d.

Paradiopatra ehlersi.— Paxton 1986: 38; Budaeva & Fauchald 2011: 357 –362, figs 25–28, table 6.

Material examined. None available.

Diagnosis (after Budaeva & Fauchald 2011). Eyes absent; palps reaching chaetiger 1, lateral antennae generally reaching chaetigers 2–6, median antenna much shorter, reaching chaetiger 1–4; ceratophores with 4–9 rings, lateral projections absent. Peristomial cirri present. Anterior three pairs of parapodia modified; ventral cirri subulate on first three chaetigers, triangular to digitiform postchaetal lobes on first eight to nine chaetigers. Modified parapodia with mainly bidentate, rarely unidentate or tridentate pseudocompound hooks with moderately long pointed hoods; subacicular hooks starting from chaetiger 8–14, pectinate chaetae with slightly oblique comb with 15–18 long teeth. Branchiae pectinate, most often starting from chaetiger 16–18 (range 14–23) with up to four or five filaments. Tube with tough inner parchment-like layer and thick outer layer of mud particles.

Remarks. The complex of six deep-water Paradiopatra species (listed in synonymy above) was studied by Budaeva & Fauchald (2011) who examined and analysed the type material and confirmed earlier opinions of Kucheruk (1978) and Orensanz (1990) by recognising the complex as a single species, Paradiopatra ehlersi. Onuphis (Onuphis) iberica described by Hartmann-Schröder from the eastern North Atlantic Ocean is one of the synonymised species and here regarded as P. ehlersi. For the redescription and illustrations of P. ehlersi see Budaeva & Fauchald (2011: 357–362, figs 25–28; Table 6).

Distribution. Paradiopatra ehlersi is a presumed cosmopolitan species in depths ranging from 2081–6350 m.