Kochlorine bocqueti Turquier 1977

Kochlorine bocqueti Turquier, 1977

Figs 18–20

Kochlorine bocqueti Turquier, 1977: 134.—1978: 107.— Kolbasov 1999: 139.— 2002: 536, 540, fig. 7 (u).—2009: 222 fig. 10 (в), fig. 13 (З), fig. 15 (е), fig. 109..

Deposited material. ELMC 0420, Kwelera Bay, Eastern Cape, 7 January 1986, 21 specimens in Charonia lampas shell (7 specimens not deposited, used for SEM, dissections and genetic analyses). SAMC-A091087, Gonubie, Eastern Cape, 27 April 2017, 4 specimens in Ranella gemmifera shell (1 not deposited, used for genetic analyses). SAMC-A091086, Gonubie, Eastern Cape, 27 April 2017, 2 specimens in 2 Turbo sarmaticus shells. SAMC- A091089, Gonubie, Eastern Cape, 27 April 2017, 2 specimens in 2 Haliotis midae shells. SAMC-A091088, Chintsa West, Eastern Cape, 26 April 2017, 1 specimen in Dinoplax gigas.

Other records. Gonubie, Eastern Cape, 27 April 2017, 1 specimen on Mancinella capensis shell (specimen used for genetic analyses).

Diagnosis. Opercular bars with a pair of small posterior processes, and with bifid and 8–13 long, lance-shaped teeth.

Description. Female, length 1. 7–3.4 mm (mean = 2.69 mm) and width 0.85–1.85 mm (mean = 1.56 mm). Mantle sac oval-shaped (fig. 18C; 20A). Opercular bars average 0.98 mm long, armed by medial row of ‘arrowhead-shaped’ teeth and setae, also lined with lateral row of bifid teeth and more setae (fig. 19D, E). Two posterior processes on opercular bar with several bifid and simple teeth (fig. 19A). Comb collar feather-like, with small projections along entire edge (fig. 19B). Orificial knob well developed (fig. 20B). Surface below opercular bars smooth and ‘plate-like’, in contrast to surface of rest of animal, which is smooth (fig. 19A). Developed lateral bars running from opercular bar downwards, reinforcement bars running from anterior part of opercular bar downwards. Female bright red below opercular area, rest of body brownish-red (fig. 18A), becoming dark brown when preserved (fig. 18C). Burrow opening slit-like, elongated (fig. 18B).

Three pairs of terminal cirri and caudal appendages two-segmented (fig. 20C). Mouth cirri with four-segmented posterior ramus shorter than six-segmented anterior ramus, both rami with long, plumose setae on each segment; rami extending off two-segmented protopod (fig. 20H). Mandible with three large teeth, first separated from remainder by notch; inferior angle with small teeth and setae (fig. 20E). Maxillule with two cuspidate setae above notch, with several setae, lower two-thirds of cutting edge with several sharp setae (fig. 20F). Maxilla triangular, with long dense setae at tip (fig. 20D). Mandibular palp trapezoid with long dense setae at tip (fig. 20G). No males observed.

Hosts. Previously described from Charonia tritonis and Conus terebra. Collected in South Africa in the areas surrounding East London from Charonia lampas, Dinoplax gigas, Haliotis midae, Mancinella capensis, Ranella gemmifera and Turbo sarmaticus.

Distribution. Previously known from Madagascar and Socotra Island (Kolbasov, 2002). In South Africa found intertidally, and subtidal to 30 m depth, in the Eastern Cape, ranging from Kwelera Bay (3250’08.0”S, 2807’09.5”E) to Gonubie (3256’33.8”S, 2802’00.9”E). In South Africa found only in Eastern Cape Province.

Remarks. Differences were observed in the number of segments of each ramus of the mouth cirri; the posterior ramus with 6 segments, the anterior with 4. There are currently 7 species in this genus, with the removal of K. bihamata (now considered a nomen nudum, see above), the addition of Kochlorine sp. A. (below), and not including two undescribed species reported by Chan, Hsieh & Kolbasov (2014). Our identification is based partly on similarity in overall body shape and length to Kochlorine bocqueti, which has a length of 2.1 mm and maximum width of 1.2 mm (Kolbasov, 2002 a), both being within the ranges of the South African specimens (1.7–3.4 mm and 0.85–1.85 mm, respectively). Similarly, the reported opercular bar size (0.75 mm) is within the range found in South Africa (0.6–1.35 mm). More importantly, the South African specimens fit the diagnosis reported for K. bocqueti, which is (translated from Russian) “Opercular bars with a pair of small posterior processes armed with bifid and 8–13 long, sharp lance-shaped teeth”. Finally, K. bocqueti is already known from sites in the western Indian Ocean (Madagascar and Socotra Island) and thus its discovery in the East London area represents a plausible range extension down the east coast of Africa. This discovery not only represents a considerable range extension but adds several new hosts. The species was also found in association with A. utinomii, W. cf. hirsuta and W. spinosa.