falclgers with finely serrate, bidentate blades (Figure 30-12c). Supe- 

 rior simple seta bidentate (Figure 30-12d), present from setiger 1; 

 inferior simple seta bidentate (Figure 30-12e), present on posterior 

 setigers. Pharynx extending back to setigers 4-5, _ with middorsal tooth 

 located medially, between setigers 2 and 3. Proventricle extending from 

 setigers 4-5 to 7-9, with 23-24 rows of muscle cells. Two ripe males 

 with sperm in setigers 10-24. 



REMARKS: Gulf of Mexico BLM-OCS specimens are similar to the descrip- 

 tion of Brania mediodentata Westheide (1974:93, figs. 42A-C, 43) from 

 the Galapagos. However, Brania sp. A differs from the latter in having 

 anal cirri that are short and ovoid rather than long and slender, and in 

 details of the setal morphology. 



GULF OF MEXICO BLM-OCS OCCURRENCE: Widespread in northeastern Gulf 

 (Figure 30-11); 19-180 m; coarse to fine sand, silty fine to very fine 

 sand. 



Brania wellf leetensis Pettibone, 1956 

 Figures 30-13, 14a-e 



Brania wellf leetensis Pettibone, 1956b:282, fig. 2a-c; 1963:134, fig. 



35h. 



Brania wellf leetensis— Perkins, 1981:1082, fig. la-1. 



MATERIAL EXAMINED: 

 Gulf of Mexico BLM-OCS: 



MAFLA 2207G-11/77 (1 spec), 2207K-11/77 (1 spec), 2318G-8/76 (5 

 spec), 2318K-8/76 (1 spec), 2318C-11/77 (2 spec), 2318E-11/77 (3 

 spec), 2318D-2/78 (3 spec), 2422E-7/76 (1 spec), 2424B-7/76 (1 

 spec), 2532E-9/75 (2 spec), 2640E-11/77 (5 spec, USNM 65667). 

 Supplementary Material: 



Massachusetts — Wellfleet Harbor, sand, among tubes of Diopatra cuprea , 

 Aug. 1953, M. Pettibone ID. (USNM 27783, holotype). 



Florida--Hutchinson Island, St. Lucie County, 10.3 m, T. Perkins ID. (1 

 spec, USNM 54502); Tampa Bay, S. Santos coll., T. Perkins ID. (10 

 spec, USNM 60477). 

 DESCRIPTION: 



Length, to 9.5 mm (previously reported to 7 mm); width, to 0.4 mm 

 (previously reported to 0.4 mm). Body slender, thread-like; complete 

 specimens with up to 63 setigers. Prostomium triangular (Figure 30- 

 14a). Eyes of preserved specimens absent or represented by diffusely 

 pigmented areas. Antennae and tentacular cirri subulate; median antenna 

 inserted near posterior border of prostomium. Palps long, narrow, fused 

 over basal third. Nuchal organs as small, rounded lobes at base of 

 prostomium. Dorsal cirri subulate, longest on setiger 1, absent from 

 setiger 2. Ventral cirri digitiform, extending beyond tips of para- 

 podia. Anal cirri subulate, numbering three, two dorsal and one ven- 

 tral; ventral one about half length of dorsal ones (Figure 30-14b). 

 Composite falcigers with short, coarsely serrate, unidentate blades 

 (Figure 30-14c). Superior simple seta denticulate near tip (Figure 30- 

 14d), present from midbody region. Inferior simple seta slender, with 

 minute serrations near tip (Figure 30-14e), present only on last few 

 setigers. Pharynx straight, extending to setigers 6-8, with middorsal 

 tooth in anterior third. Proventricle extending from setigers 6-8 to 7- 



30-21 



