Spiophanes Grube 1860

Genus Spiophanes Grube, 1860

Spiophanes Grube, 1860: 88 –89, pl. 5, fig. 1. Type species: Spiophanes kroyeri Grube, 1860, by monotypy. – Meißner & Hutchings, 2003: 118–120, figs. 1–2. –Meißner, 2005: 6.

Morants Chamberlin, 1919: 17. Type species: Morants duplex Chamberlin, 1919, by monotypy. Junior synonym.

Diagnosis. Prostomium broad anteriorly; subtriangular, bell-shaped or rarely rounded; anterior margin often laterally extended, forming horns of different length; with or without occipital antenna. Eyes present or absent. Dorsal ciliated organs of different types present: (1) starting posterior to the prostomium as two continuous ciliated bands, differing in both length and also slightly in shape but maximally extending to chaetiger 17; (2) starting posterior to the prostomium as two short ciliated bands extending to the end of chaetiger 2, often followed by segmental ciliated patches of different shape; (3) starting posterior to the prostomium as pair of dorsal loops not extending beyond chaetiger 6; or (4) as ciliated grooves/short bands posterior to the prostomium.

Peristomium moderately to well developed, forming lateral bulges or wings. Branchiae absent. Dorsal ciliated crests usually present.

Body divided into three distinct regions: (1) anterior region extending up to chaetiger 4, with parapodia 1– 4 usually exhibiting well-developed neuro- and notopodial postchaetal lamellae compared to those of subsequent chaetigers, often positioned dorsally or dorsolaterally; (2) middle region extending from chaetiger 5 to last chaetiger bearing capillary chaetae rather than hooks in neuropodia, chaetigers usually with parapodial glandular organs (see Meißner & Hutchings 2003); (3) posterior region indicated by presence of neuropodial hooks. Ventrolateral intersegmental pouches present or absent between neuropodia.

Notochaetae capillaries, often limbate or hirsute, in middle body region usually arranged in three rows. Neuropodia of chaetiger 1 with 1–2 conspicuous crook-like chaetae, other neurochaetae of chaetigers 1–4 simple, hirsute or limbate capillaries arranged in two rows. From chaetiger 5 neurochaetae short, broad, often sheathed and distally pointed; arranged in 1–2 indistinct rows. Neuropodial hooks first present from chaetiger 13 (in juvenile specimens of certain species), 14, 15, or 16; quadridentate, with main fang surmounted by single unpaired tooth and pair of smaller distal teeth, additional small teeth rarely present; reduced hood absent or present. Bacillary chaetae may be exposed from chaetigers 5–8. One or two ventral sabre chaetae often present from chaetiger 4, rarely from chaetigers 5, 9, 10, or 12, or sometimes not present until neuropodial hooks start; sabre chaetae accompanying hooks often with cryptic ridge (easy to observe under SEM). Stout, curved notochaetae often present in far posterior parapodia. Pygidium with two or more anal cirri.