pigmented. Ventral cirri tapered, not extending beyond parapodia. Anal 

 cirri paired, with 11-20 articles. Parapodia with short, slender, pre- 

 and postsetal lobes; without accessory branchial lobes (Figure 30-100b). 

 Superior composite falcigers bidentate (Figure 30-100c); inferior falci- 

 gers bidentate anteriorly, becoming unidentate and more strongly falcate 

 (Figure 30-100d) after first few setigers, claw-like (Figure 30-100e) in 

 midbody region, and enlarged (Figure 30-100f) posteriorly. Claw-like 

 setae usually replacing bidentate falcigers entirely in medial to poste- 

 rior regions. Simple setae absent. Pharynx extending to setigers 2-9. 

 Proventricle extending from setigers 3-10 to 5-17, with 39 (32-41) 

 muscle cell rows. 



PREVIOUSLY REPORTED HABITAT: Littoral; under stones, among sponges and 

 ophiuroids. 



GULF OF MEXICO BLM-OCS OCCURRENCE: Several stations off central and 

 northwestern Florida (Figure 30-99); 19-56 m; coarse to medium-fine 

 sand, silty fine sand. 

 DISTRIBUTION: Circuratropical. 



Branchiosyllis oculata Ehlers, 1887 

 Figures 30-101, 102a-d 



Branchiosyllis oculata Ehlers, 1887:148, pi. 39, figs. 1-7. 

 Branchiosyllis oculata — Hartman, 1942b:44, figs. 62, 63. 

 Branchiosyllis oculata — Hartmann-Schrbder, 1978:60 [table]. 

 Branchiosyllis oculata — Pawlik, 1983:65, figs. 3, 5-8. 



MATERIAL EXAMINED: 

 Gulf of Mexico BLM-OCS: 



S0FLA 16E-7/81 (1 juv., USNM 75274); MAFLA 2211C-7/76 (1 spec, USNM 

 65665), 2315A-2/78 (1 spec). 

 DESCRIPTION: 



Length, 3.0+ mm (previously reported to 21 mm); width, 0.5+ mm. Body 

 moderately flattened, uncolored to dark brown in preservative; larger 

 specimens incomplete with up to 44 setigers. Prostomium broader than 

 long, trilobed anteriorly, with four small, lentigerous eyes located 

 near lateral margins (Figure 30-102a), with or without ocular spots. 

 Median antenna of juvenile with four articles. Lateral antennae arising 

 at anterior margin of prostomium, with 4-11 articles. Palps short, 

 rounded anteriorly, fused basally. Nuchal organs as paired lobes along 

 posterolateral margins of prostomium. Peristomial margin usually with 

 mid-anterior projection. Dorsal tentacular cirri with 12-37 articles, 

 ventral ones with 4-12 articles. Anterior dorsal cirri with 5-27 arti- 

 cles, medial ones with 4-24 articles. Ventral cirri digitiform, not 

 extending beyond parapodia. Anal cirri of juvenile with six articles. 

 Accessory branchial lobes irregularly globular, located on dorsal sur- 

 face of parapodia (Figure 30-102b). Parapodia with digitiform presetal 

 lobes and shorter postsetal lobes. Setae all composite falcigers with 

 claw-like blades (Figure 30-102c), inferiormost seta largest (Figure 30- 

 102d). Pharynx extending to setigers 2-6; with large, subterminal, 

 middorsal tooth. Proventricle extending from setigers 2-7 to 4-11, with 

 21-24 muscle cell rows. 



REMARKS: Some specimens of B_. oculata in BLM-OCS collections were 

 originally identified as Typosyllis cf. fuscosuturata. 

 PREVIOUSLY REPORTED HABITAT: to 5 m; on sponges. 



30-107 



