To all:
These prostomial pits have been know in spionids for a long time. Nancy
Maciolek described them as prostomial peaks on two species in her
revision of the genus Prionospio (Zoological Journal of the Linnean
Society (1998) 84: 325-383; see Fig. 13, p. 361; see Fig. 14, p.363). In
Streblospio benedicti, Paraprionospio pinnata and Marenzelleria virdis
these prostomial structures are eversible and not always obvious on
preserved specimens. (For S. benedicti see Fig, 1, p. 421 in Functional
morphology and feeding behaviour of Streblospio benedicti (Polychaeta;
Spionidae). 1984. Linnean Society of New South Wales, pp. 418-429;
for P. pinnata see Fig. 3b p. 146, in Functional morphology and feeding
behavior of Paraprionospio pinnata (Polychaeta: Spionidae).1985.
Marine Biology 85: 143-151; and for M. viridis see Fig. 2 on. 515, in
Functional morphology and feeding behavior of Marenzellaria viridis
(Polychaeta: Spionidae). 1997. Bulletin of Marine Science 60: 512-
516.).
I have called them both prostomial papillae and sensory papillae. They
are very similar in appearance to the palp papillae on polydorids that
have non-motile cirri ( See. Fig. 1, p. 43 in Potential systematic
significance of spionid polychaete tentacular morphology 1987. Bulletin
of the Biological Society of Washington, No. 7, pp. 41-45.; see Figs. 1
and 2 in Functional morphology and feeding behavior of Polydora
commensalis. 1991. Ophelia Suppl. 5: 607-614.)
I suspect that these structures may be widely distributed in polychaetes
and easily overlooked because they are eversible.
Dan Dauer
Daniel M. Dauer
Professor and Eminent Scholar
Department of Biological Sciences
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, Va. 23529
phone: 757-683-4709
fax: 757-683-5283
email: ddauer at odu.edu
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