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Proceraea janetae sp. nov. (Annelida, Syllidae, Autolytinae), a scleractinian coral feeder from Grand Cayman Island

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 October 2014

Daniel Martin*
Affiliation:
Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Carrer d'Accés a la Cala Sant Francesc 14, 17300 Blanes, Girona, Catalunya, Spain
João Gil
Affiliation:
Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Carrer d'Accés a la Cala Sant Francesc 14, 17300 Blanes, Girona, Catalunya, Spain
Cynthia Abgarian
Affiliation:
5420 Meadowcrest Dr, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105, USA 228 Raleigh Quay #A9, West Bay, Grand Cayman, British West Indies
Essi Evans
Affiliation:
64 Scugog Street, Bowmanville, Ontario L1C3J1, Canada Lighthouse Point Condos, 571 Northwest Point Road, West Bay, Grand Cayman, British West Indies
Everett M. Turner Jr
Affiliation:
64 Scugog Street, Bowmanville, Ontario L1C3J1, Canada Lighthouse Point Condos, 571 Northwest Point Road, West Bay, Grand Cayman, British West Indies
Arne Nygren
Affiliation:
Göteborg University, Sjöfartsmuseet Akvariet, Karl Johansgatan 1-3, 41459 Göteborg, Sweden
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: D. MartinCentre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Carrer d'Accés a la Cala Sant Francesc 14, 17300 Blanes (Girona), Catalunya, Spain. email: dani@ceab.cisc.es
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Abstract

We have found a new species of Autolytinae (Annelida, Syllidae), Proceraea janetae, feeding on the scleractinian coral Montastrea cavernosa in coral reefs surrounding the Grand Cayman Island (Cayman Islands, British West Indies). The new species has a characteristic combination of transversal brown markings on the segmental margins and diffuse white mid-dorsal transverse bars, together with a diffuse white mid-dorsal longitudinal band. Antennae are brown, tentacular cirri are pale, the first dorsal cirri are white with pale base; the second dorsal cirri are pale, and the remaining dorsal cirri are alternately long, bright yellow-orange with brownish tips and short, entirely brown. The trepan has 18 tricuspid teeth in one ring. There are 9 teeth with all cuspids equally long and 9 with a longer median cuspid, arranged in an alternating pattern. We describe and illustrate the feeding behaviour of the new species, which appears to be closer to parasitism rather than to specialized predation. Proceraea janetae sp. nov. is the second polychaete, and the first syllid, known to feed on scleractinian corals.

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2014 
Figure 0

Fig. 1. Proceraea janetae sp. nov. In situ macro-photographs. (A–D) Living specimens crawling on Montastrea cavernosa. Finger tip on A helps to indicate approximate worm size.

Figure 1

Fig. 2. Proceraea janetae sp. nov. In situ macro-photograps of living specimens (A) Whole worm. (B) Detail of the anterior end. Stereomicroscope micrographs of preserved specimens. (C) Holotype MNCN 16.01/15563 whole body. (D) Paratype MNCN 16.01/15564 anterior end. Scale bars are mm (A) and μm (B–D).

Figure 2

Fig. 3. Proceraea janetae sp. nov. Binocular micrographs of paratypes MNCN 16.01/15564 (A–C, E) and MNCN 16.01/15563 (D, F). (A) Anterior end, ventral view, arrows pointing the eye lenses. (B) Parapodium. (C, D) Trepan. (E) Bayonet chaeta. (F) Compound chaetae. p, palps; ldc, long dorsal cirri; sdc, short dorsal cirri; a, teeth with equally long cusps; b, teeth two short lateral and one long central cusps. Scale bars are μm.

Figure 3

Fig. 4. Proceraea janetae sp. nov. SEM micrographs of Paratype MNCN 16.01/15566. (A) Bayonet chaetae and blade of a compound chaeta. (B) Compound chaeta. (C) Trepan, upper view. (D) Trepan, lateral view. a, teeth with equally long cuspids; b, teeth two short lateral and one long central cuspids.

Figure 4

Fig. 5. Proceraea janetae sp. nov. (A–C) Examples of specimens moving from the surrounding substrate towards the coral Montastrea cavernosa. (D) Specimen returning to the substrate after being disturbed by light flashes.

Figure 5

Fig. 6. Proceraea janetae sp. nov. (A–D) Examples of specimens approaching the polyps of Montastrea cavernosa for feeding.

Figure 6

Fig. 7. Proceraea janetae sp. nov. (A–D) Examples of specimens with the anterior end introduced into the gastral cavity of closed polyps of Montastrea cavernosa.

Figure 7

Fig. 8. Proceraea janetae sp. nov. (A–D) Examples of specimens leaving the colonies of Montastrea cavernosa after feeding. (A–C) Successive images corresponding to the same specimen and episode.

Figure 8

Fig. 9. (A–C) Coralliophila caribbea feeding on polyps of the same colonies where Proceraea janetae sp. nov. was collected.

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