Sphaerosyllis voluntariorum

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Sphaerosyllis voluntariorum
Scientific classification
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S. voluntariorum
Binomial name
Sphaerosyllis voluntariorum
San Martín, 2005

Sphaerosyllis voluntariorum is a species belonging to the phylum Annelida, a group known as the segmented worms. [1] This species is closely related to Sphaerosyllis bifurcata , Sphaerosyllis bifurcatoides and Sphaerosyllis rotundipapillata , all endemic species to Australia, characterized by having large dorsal papillae, sometimes trilobed, and with shafts of compound chaetae distally bifid. S. voluntariorum is more densely papillated on its anterior segments and has a long subdistal spine on the ventral simple chaetae. This species' name alludes to the volunteers of the Marine Invertebrate section of The Australian Museum, who sorted specimens of syllids that led to the description of this animal. [1]

Contents

Description

The species' body is small, with a total length of 1.4 millimetres (0.055 in) and width of 0.14 millimetres (0.0055 in), including 26 chaetigers. It possesses numerous papillae on its dorsum and a few on its parapodia, and none on its prostomium and palps; the papillae are long, with trilobed tips and dark inclusions. Its prostomium is ovate, showing 4 large eyes in a trapezoidal arrangement. Its antennae are long, with bulbous bases and long tips, similar to the combined length of its prostomium and palps. The palps are similar in length than its prostomium, fused along their length, ventrally folded. [1]

Its peristomium measures the same as its succeeding segments, covering the posterior half of the prostomium. Its tentacular cirri are shorter than its antennae, the dorsal cirri being the same length as the tentacular cirri, with slender tips. Its parapodial lobes are conical, with 2 subdistal papillae. Its ventral cirri are long and slender, while its parapodial glands are very small. [1]

It shows anterior parapodia with 5 compound chaetae each, with unidentate blades. The blades of the dorsal compound chaetae possess marginal spines about 12μm long, while the blades of ventral compound chaetae are smooth, measuring about 9 μm long. Sphaerosyllis voluntariorum shows dorsal simple chaetae from chaetiger 1, unidentate with few spines. The ventral simple chaetae on posterior parapodia are smooth, sigmoid and distally hooked, provided with a long subdistal spine. Its parapodia count with a single acicula each, bent to a right angle. [1]

The pharynx spans approximately 3 segments. Its pharyngeal tooth is probably located on its anterior rim. Its proventricle spans through 1 or 2 segments, with 12 muscle cell rows. Its pygidium is small, with numerous rounded papillae and 2 anal cirri, which are similar to its dorsal cirri but quite longer. [1]

Distribution

S. voluntariorum was found in Cape Range National Park, Western Australia, at a depth of 2 metres (6.6 ft) in mixed algae. Its distribution is thought to include the whole of WA. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parapodium</span> Protusions from the body in invertebrates

In invertebrates, the term parapodium refers to lateral outgrowths or protrusions from the body. Parapodia are predominantly found in annelids, where they are paired, unjointed lateral outgrowths that bear the chaetae. In several groups of sea snails and sea slugs, 'parapodium' refers to lateral fleshy protrusions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eunicida</span> Order of annelid worms

Eunicida is an order of polychaete worms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phyllodocida</span> Order of annelid worms

Phyllodocida is an order of polychaete worms in the subclass Aciculata. These worms are mostly marine, though some are found in brackish water. Most are active benthic creatures, moving over the surface or burrowing in sediments, or living in cracks and crevices in bedrock. A few construct tubes in which they live and some are pelagic, swimming through the water column. There are estimated to be more than 4,600 accepted species in the order.

Prosphaerosyllis battiri is a species belonging to the phylum Annelida, a group known as the segmented worms. The species name comes from an Aboriginal word, battiri, meaning 'rough'. Prosphaerosyllis battiri is a species characterized by having only partially fused palps, an unretracted prostomium on its peristomium or showing only slight retraction, the shape of its dorsal cirri and its arrangement of papillae, being numerous anteriorly while less numerous posteriorly. It resembles Prosphaerosyllis semiverrucosa, but its arrangement of dorsal papillae is reversed.

Salvatoria koorineclavata is a species belonging to the phylum Annelida, a group known as the segmented worms. A related species in Australia has been described as Brania clavata and subsequently as Salvatoria clavata. While similar, the Australian species has a longer pharynx and proventricle; at the same time, blades of chaetae are present in the Australian species, with longer and upwards curved spines, which are straight in S. clavata; its pharyngeal tooth is located more anteriorly than in S. clavata. Other global species, like those in the genus Brania, are also similar to S. koorineclavata. Salvatoria californiensis has similar chaetae, with shorter spines and less developed teeth. Its acicula lacks a defined acute tip, and the proventricle is quite shorter, running through 5 segments in S. koorineclavata, with fewer rows of muscle cells. The species name comes from an Aboriginal word, Koorine, meaning "daughter", due to the similarity of the Australian species to the European species of S. clavata.

<i>Sphaerosyllis levantina</i> Species of annelid worm

Sphaerosyllis levantina is a species belonging to the phylum Annelida, a group known as the segmented worms. It was first described from Haifa Bay in the eastern Mediterranean. It is similar to Sphaerosyllis hystrix, and is thought to show a cosmopolitan distribution. Its name derives from its type locality, levantina being the feminine form of a Neo-Latin adjective meaning "pertaining to the region where the sun raises"; the adjective is feminine to agree with the feminine genus name, Syllis being a river nymph in Greek mythology.

Sphaerosyllis bardukaciculata is a species belonging to the phylum Annelida, a group known as the segmented worms. Sphaerosyllis bardukaciculatan is similar to Sphaerosyllis aciculata from Florida; its chaetae are almost identical; the former, however, differs by having longer antennae and anal cirri, as well as parapodial glands with granular material. The animal's name is derived from the Aboriginal word barduk, meaning "near", alluding to the aforementioned likeness with S. aciculata.

Sphaerosyllis goorabantennata is a species belonging to the phylum Annelida, a group known as the segmented worms. Sphaerosyllis goorabantennata is distinct by its small size, small and unevenly distributed papillae, as well as by its particularly long antennae and tentacular cirri. Sphaerosyllis minima and S. minima magnapapillata are also small, but their antennae and tentacular cirri are significantly shorter, like its cogenerate species. The species' name is derived from the Aboriginal word gooraba, meaning "big", alluding to its long antennae.

Sphaerosyllis georgeharrisoni is a species belonging to the phylum Annelida, a group known as the segmented worms. Sphaerosyllis georgeharrisoni is distinct by its large parapodial glands with hyaline material; by its small size; short proventricle; a median antenna that is inserted posteriorly to the lateral antennae; as well as long pygidial papillae. Juveniles of S. hirsuta are very similar to this species. Sphaerosyllis pygipapillata has all of its antennae aligned, a smooth dorsum, while its pygidial papillae are longer and slender. The species' name honours George Harrison, musician who died prior to the species' describing article's publication.

Parapionosyllis winnunga is a species belonging to the phylum Annelida, a group known as the segmented worms. Parapionosyllis winnunga is characterized by the shape of the blades of its compound chaetae, which have a long subdistal spine, in turn much longer than in other cogenerate species. Its species name is derived from the Aboriginal word winnunga, meaning "small".

Ophryotrocha craigsmithi is a species of polychaete worm. O. craigsmithi is named after Craig R. Smith. This species is similar to Palpiphitime lipovskyae and O. Platykephale, among others, in having branchial structures dorsally and ventrally. It differs from O. platykephale in the shape of its prostomium and parapodia. Palpiphitime lipovskyae has jaws of both P- and K-type, while no specimens of O. craigsmithi have been found with K-type jaws thus far. Ophryotrocha craigsmithi differs from P. lipovskyae genetically, but also by the presence of a prominent ventral chaetal lobe with a bulging simple chaeta in the former.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phyllodocidae</span> Family of annelids

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<i>Leucia</i> Genus of annelids


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<i>Leucia nivea</i> Species of annelid worm

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Australonoe willani is a species of marine annelids in the family Polynoidae, and the sole member of the genus Australonoe, known only from the south-east Indian Ocean at Rottnest Island, Western Australia.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 San Martín, G. (2005). Exogoninae (Polychaeta: Syllidae) from Australia with the description of a new genus and twenty-two new species. Records of the Australian Museum. 57(1): 39-152., available online at https://dx.doi.org/10.3853/j.0067-1975.57.2005.1438, page(s): 55-57, figs. 11A-G, 12A-E.

Further reading