(Figs. 1, 9A–K)
Polynoe areolata Grube, 1860: 72, pl. 3 fig.2; Claparède (1868): 381, pl. 2 fig. 5a,b.
Harmothoe areolata: Fauvel (1923): 62, fig. 22a–e; Chambers & Muir (1997): 96, fig. 22; Barnich & Fiege (2000): 1897, fig. 4A–E; Barnich & Fiege (2003): 34, fig. 13A–E, pl. 1.4.
Andresia ampullifera Prenant, 1924: 19, figs. 1–7.
Antinoe nobilis Lankester, 1867: 375, pl. 51 figs. 1–9.
Type material. Polynoe areolata: 2 syntypes, ZMB 1132, Palermo, Coll. Grube. 18 spms., ZMB 1131, Naples, leg. Claparède, Coll. Grube.
Additional material. Mediterranean: 1 spm., SMF 9199, Banyuls-sur-mer, 19 March 1997, in Posidonia, 5 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 with fringing papillae; surface with polygonal fields, tubercles conical in anterior part, becoming flattened thorn-shaped towards posterior margin, large and small thorns alternating. Dorsal cirri papillate, of two alternating kinds: inflated subdistally to filiform tip or tapering.
Description (based on additional specimen in good condition, SMF 9199).
Body with 37 segments. At anterior end (Fig. 9A), 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; last five segments cirrigerous; elytral margin with distinct papillae; surface with polygonal fields, tubercles conical in anterior part, becoming flattened thorn-shaped towards posterior margin, large and small thorns alternating. (Fig. 9B,C). Cirrigerous segments with distinct dorsal tubercles; dorsal cirri with cylindrical cirrophore, style papillate, of two alternating kinds: inflated subdistally to filiform tip or tapering (Fig. 9D,E).
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. 9F). Notochaetae stouter than neurochaetae; with distinct rows of spines and blunt tip (Fig. 9G,H); neurochaetae with distinct rows of spines, mostly bidentate with distinct secondary tooth, some upper and lower unidentate (Fig. 9 I–K).
Measurements. P. areolata, 2 syntypes, ZMB 1132: L 18 mm, W 4 mm for 37segments. L 16 mm, W 4 mm for 37 segments. Specimen figured, SMF 9199 (Fig. 9A–K): L 18 mm, W 6 mm for 37 segments.
Distribution. Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea.
Habitat. Between stones, algae, Posidonia rhizomes, coralligène, down to about 100 m.