Levidorum hartmanae Perkins 1987

Levidorum hartmanae Perkins, 1987 (Fig. 37A–D)

Levidorum hartmanae Perkins, 1987: 168, figs 4A–F, 5A–E.

Material examined. USA: holotype USNM 97438, Gulf of México, Florida Shelf, 70 miles West of Sanibel Island, 26°24'N 83°22'W, 55 m, 7 Dec 1966; paratype USNM 97439, Gulf of México, Florida shelf, 65 miles west of Egmont Key, 27°37'N 83°58W, 55 m, 21 Jan 1967.

Diagnosis. Levidorum with simple chaetae with 2 distal teeth, faint denticulation present below teeth.

Description. Holotype complete, in two fragments. Length 8 mm for 50 chaetigers, width 0.6 mm (Paratype complete, 3.9 mm for 37 chaetigers). Preserved material yellowish white, without colour markings. Body swollen from chaetiger 2–11 (Fig. 37A), tapering towards the end. Ciliation not observed.

Four eyes, with lenses, laterally positioned on dorsal and ventral side; dorsal pair larger. Palps absent. Nuchal epaulettes absent. Antennae and dorsal cirri absent (Fig. 37A, B).

Parapodial lobes rounded, very small. Anterior chaetigers with 2 aciculae, 1 in median and posterior. Chaetal fascicle with 3–4 chaetae in anterior chaetigers, 2–3 in median and posterior. All chaetae simple, club shaped, with 2 teeth (Fig. 37D); small distal tooth; serration present (Fig. 37D). Bayonet chaetae absent.

Pharynx with sinuation anterior and lateral to proventricle. Trepan in chaetiger 2 (chaetiger 1 in paratype) with 5 long equal teeth (Fig. 37C). Basal ring present; infradental spines absent. Proventricle equal in length to 2.5–3 segments in chaetiger 2–4 with 25–30 rows of muscle cells. Pygidium without anal cirri (lost?).

Reproduction and morphology of epitokous stages. Anterior scissiparity from behind chaetiger 14. The rear fragment of the paratype is a stolon (Fig. 37B), eyes not developed, nor swimming chaetae. The anterior fragment consists of 14 chaetigers.

Habitat. 55 m.

Distribution. North West Atlantic, Gulf of México. Only known from type locality. Remarks. Levidorum hartmanae differs from L. scotarium in lacking palps, having eyes, and in the shape of chaetae with 2 distal teeth; in L. scotarium only one teeth is present. Levidorum hartmanae differs from L. pettibonae and L. pori in having smaller anterior pair of eyes, in the two latter taxa, the anterior pair is larger. The chaetae in L. hartmanae is quite different from those found in L. pettibonae, but very similar to those found in L. pori.