REMARKS: These specimens resemble the genus Heslocaeca Hartman, 1965, 

 known from the west Atlantic. They differ from the latter in lacking a 

 median antenna and in having notosetae. 



GULF OF MEXICO BLM-OCS OCCURRENCE: Three records off southwestern 

 Florida (Figure 28-1); deep water, 90-180 m; fine sand, silty fine sand. 



Genus Ophiodromus Sars, 1861 



TYPE SPECIES: Nereis flexuosa Delle Chiaje, 1825. 



REFERENCES : 



Fauvel, 1923:242. 



Hartmann-Schrbder, 1971:129. 



Fauchald, 1977a:76. 



DIAGNOSIS: Prostomium with three antennae and biarticulate palps. Six 



pairs of tentacular cirri. Parapodia biramous, with well-developed 



notopodia and numerous capillary notosetae. Pharynx with fimbriated 



margin, jaws absent. 



Ophiodromus sp. A 



Figures 28-3, 4a-f 



MATERIAL EXAMINED: 

 Gulf of Mexico BLM-OCS: 



MAFLA 2638G-11/77 (2 spec); CTGLF 03-5/78 (1 spec). 

 DESCRIPTION: 



Length, 4.8+ mm; width, to 1.4 mm. Body stout anteriorly; all specimens 

 incomplete with up to 16 setigers. Prostomium broadly rounded posteri- 

 orly, narrower anteriorly, with two pairs of large, lentigerous eyes 

 (Figure 28-4a). Lateral antennae cirriform, similar in length to palps. 

 Median antenna about half length of lateral antennae. Dorsal tentacular 

 cirri long, smooth, cirriform; ventral tentacular cirri short, smooth or 

 indistinctly articled. Parapodia well-developed, biramous starting on 

 setiger 3, notopodia forming large triangular lobes beneath dorsal 

 cirrophores (Figure 28-4b). Dorsal cirri smooth, slender, shorter than 

 body width. Neuropodia with tapered ventral cirri extending beyond 

 conical presetal lobe. Notosetae long, numerous, of three kinds: 1) 

 upper notosetae most numerous, fine, hair-like, with two alternating 

 lateral rows of short, blunt spines (Figure 28-4c); 2) 1-2 stouter, 

 acicular setae (Figure 28-4d) in middle of fascicle; and 3) lower noto- 

 setae fine, hair-like, with minute coarse serrations near tip (Figure 

 28-4e). Neuropodial falcigers numerous, long-bladed, with minutely 

 hooked tip and subapical spine (Figure 28-4f), blade-length ratio 6:1. 

 Pharynx extending to setigers 5-7, margin covered with numerous fine, 

 hair-like fimbriae. 



REMARKS: These specimens resemble Ophiodromus f lexuosus (Delle Chiaje, 

 1825), but differ from the latter in having several kinds of notosetae. 

 GULF OF MEXICO BLM-OCS OCCURRENCE: Two records in central Gulf off 

 Mississippi and eastern Louisiana (Figure 28-3); shallow water, 24-30 m; 

 sandy silt, sandy clayey silt. 



28-7 



