DISTRIBUTION: New Caledonia, Peru, California, ?Gulf of Mexico. 



Heteropodarke sp. A 



Figures 28-13, 14a-e 



MATERIAL EXAMINED: 

 Gulf of Mexico BLM-OCS: 



SOFLA 20E-8/81 (3 spec, USNM 75323), 20-7/81 (2 spec, USNM 71777); 

 MAFLA 2104A-5/75 (1 spec), 2211H-7/76 (1 spec), 2211J-7/76 (1 spec), 

 2316J-11/77 (1 spec), 2318J-11/77 (1 spec), 2422H-7/76 (1 spec), 

 24221-7/76 (1 spec), 2528C-8/77 (1 spec), 2528K-8/77 (2 spec), 2530E- 

 1/76 (2 spec), 2531G-8/77 (1 spec), 2853-8/77 (4 spec, USNM 90630). 

 DESCRIPTION: 



Length, to 5.2 mm; width, to 0.4 mm. Body slender, thread-like; single 

 complete specimen with 39 setigers plus one achaetous preanal segment. 

 Prostomium rectangular, with two pairs of small, lentigerous, contiguous 

 eyes near posterior margin (Figure 28-14a). Antennae subulate, smooth 

 to pseudoarticulate, arising at anterior margin of prostomium; median 

 antenna shorter than lateral antennae. Palps similar and arising ven- 

 trolateral to lateral antennae. Nuchal organs as small lobes at postec- 

 tal corners of prostomium. Six pairs of pseudoarticulate tentacular 

 cirri. Parapodia subbiramous (Figure 28-14b), dorsal cirrophores with 

 single slender notoacicula. Neuropodia with conical presetal lobes and 

 short, rounded postsetal lobes. Neuroacicula of middle setigers not 

 enlarged as in Heteropodarke cf. heteromorpha. Dorsal and ventral cirri 

 pseudoarticulate. Falcigers of first 8-10 setigers with sheathed, 

 blunt-tipped blades (Figure 28-14c). Blades of subsequent falcigers not 

 sheathed, with pointed tips (Figure 28-14d). Single, slender, lightly 

 serrate, composite spiniger present in all fascicles from setiger 1 

 (Figure 28-14e). Pharynx extending back to setigers 10-15, with about 

 nine marginal papillae. 



REMARKS: Heteropodarke sp. A differs from H. heteromorpha mainly in 

 lacking the thick, modified falcigers of the anterior and middle seti- 

 gers. 



GULF OF MEXICO BLM-OCS OCCURRENCE: Numerous occurrences in northeastern 

 Gulf (Figure 28-13); 10-189 ra; coarse to fine-very fine sand, silty fine 

 to very fine sand, clayey silt. 



Genus Podarke Ehlers, 1864 



TYPE SPECIES: Podarke agilis Ehlers, 1864. 



REFERENCES: 



Fauvel, 1923:244. 



Ushakov, 1955:197. 



Fauchald, 1977a:77. 



DIAGNOSIS: Prostomium with three antennae and two biarticulate palps. 



Six pairs of tentacular cirri. Parapodia subbiramous, notosetae few. 



Pharynx with or without marginal papillae, jaws absent. 



REMARKS: Fauchald (1977a:77) considered the taxonomic status of Podarke 



to be confused, with the genus not significantly distinct from Ophiodro- 



mus Sars, 1862. Many authors have recognized the former as a synonym of 



the latter. The concept of Fauvel (1923:232) is followed here, in which 



the two genera are considered distinct, Podarke having poorly developed 



28-17 



