Dear annelid lovers,
I am new to this list and I would like to start with a request.
I am doing a PhD study on macrobenthic communities of tropical and
temperate sandy beaches. During this work I came across two species
of spionids, collected in Madagascar, which I believe to be new to
science:
Spionid 1
-most of the characters fit it in the genus Scolelepis
(prostomium pointed, branchiae from 2nd setiger till the last one,
anterior notopodial and neuropodial setae all capillaries, with
posterior neuro and notopodial bi-tridentaded hooded hooks, pygidium
with a ventral cushion below the anus, etc.)
- the outstanding characteristic is the occurrence of a stout
hook on the neuropodium of the 4th setiger (with two capillary
setae); in some individuals this hook also appears on the 5th and
6th setigers. This is the only difference, otherwise those segments
are exactly the same as the ones from other parts of the body (with
branchiae and not modified).
- several characteristics prevent this spionid to fit into existent
genera with stout hooks on anterior setigers such as Polydorella,
Tripolydora, Boccardia, Pseudopolydora or Polydora.
Spionid 2
The other spionid I found in Madagascar could be identified as
Scolelepis lefebrvei, but it deviates from J.H. Day's description on
two aspects:
- it has hooded hooks in posterior notopodia and
- the hooks may be uni and bi-dentate
I am not a taxonomist and I am not updated with the latest
discoveries on Spionidae taxonomy (our library is not helpfull at all
on taxonomic matters).
Thus, I would immensely appreciate if anybody could help us with
the identification of these spionids.
Thanks for your attention.
Regards...............Alex Soares
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Alexandre G. Soares Fax:+27 41 504 23 17
Zoology Department e-mail:ZLBAGS at ZOO.UPE.AC.ZA
University of Port Elizabeth URL:http://zoo.upe.ac.za/
P.O. Box 1600
Port Elizabeth - 6000 - South Africa
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I'd rather be a moving metamorphosis than having that old ingrained
concept about everything...............Raul Seixas
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