Palola Lizard Island Clade 4

(Fig. 3 C, D)

Material examined. AM W.44403, MI QLD 2371, sequenced; AM W.44653, MI QLD 2413, sequenced and photographed; AM W.44324, MI QLD 2375; AM W.44642, MI QLD 2413.

Description. Specimens thin and threadlike. Anterior fragments of the two sequenced specimens closely examined (Fig. 3 C, D). Fragments 9–13 mm long and 1 mm wide, with 35 and 75 chaetigers, respectively. No branchiae or ventral eyespots present. Mandibles protruding from mouth and relatively thin with a smooth, unserrated anterior margin (Fig. 3 D). Maxillae not examined. Head and body with faint, relatively uniform brown pigment dorsally on prostomium, peristomium and anterior chaetigers. Antennae, palps, peristomial and parapodial cirri without pigment. Antennae and palps wrinkled, tapering and with pointy tip. Median antenna reaching chaetiger 2 or 3, lateral antennae to chaetiger 1 or 2 and palps to first or second peristomial ring. Tapering peristomial cirri reaching forward to about ¾ of the anterior peristomial ring. Eyes dark, round with a ventral notch and nestled between lateral antennae and palps. Acicula brown. Other chaetae not examined.

Remarks. Palola Lizard Island Clade 4 falls into species group A. As mentioned above, clades 3 and 4 are morphologically very similar to each other but can be distinguished by the relative lengths of their antennae.