SERPULIDAE 191 



Family SERPULIDAE 



1. Collar bristles bayonet-shaped ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 



Collar bristles simple ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 3 



2. Collar bristles with a pair of large conical processes at base of blade. Operculum shaped 



like a funnel Serpula 



Collar bristles without large basal processes. Operculum ending in a flat calcareous plate 

 with or without branching spines ... ... ... ... ... ... Spirobranchus 



3. Operculum conical with or without spines ... ... ... ... ... Vermiliopsis 



Genus Serpula, Linnaeus 



Operculum funnel-shaped with radii ending in denticulations along the margin. 

 The opercular peduncle is without wings. Collar bristles bayonet-shaped with two 

 large conical teeth at the base of the blade. Thoracic bristles winged, abdominal bristles 

 trumpet-shaped, hooks with few teeth. 



Serpula vermicularis, Linnaeus. 



Fauvel, 1927, p. 351, fig. 120^-9. 

 Monro, 1930, p. 206. 



Occurrence. St. 27 (4); 160 (i); 190 (2); 366 (numerous); 371 (i); 399 (i); WS 27 (numerous); 

 WS 79 (i); WS 177 (numerous); WS 225 (2); WS 237 (numerous); WS 243 (4); WS 244 (4); 

 WS 246 (3); WS 748 (numerous); WS 766 (2); WS 772 (i); WS 781 (4); WS 782 (2); WS 784 (2); 

 WS785 (numerous); WS 795 (2); WS 804 (i); WS 811 (6); WS 813 (10); WS 814 (numerous); 

 WS 840 (i); WS 848 (numerous). 



Specific characters. Collar bristles with a pair of large conical teeth at the base of 

 the blade. Hooks with four to seven teeth. Tube very variable, cylindrical, rugose, 

 transversely striated, with five to seven longitudinal ridges that may be denticulated. 

 The tube ends in a peristome with a more or less everted lip. In the southern forms the 

 lip of the peristome is more everted than in the northern (var. narconensis, Baird). 



Genus Vermiliopsis, Saint- Joseph 



Collar chaetae variable, usually winged or denticulated. Apomatiis bristles present 

 in the thorax. Hooks with numerous teeth. Abdominal bristles geniculate. Opercular 

 peduncle without wings. Operculum conical, with or without spines. 



Vermiliopsis notialis, Monro. 

 Monro, 1930, p. 209, fig. 87 a-e. 

 Occurrence. St. WS 33 (2). 



Specific characters. Five thoracic chaetigers. Opercular pedicle without wings. 

 Operculum a vesicular body surmounted by a cone covered with chitinous spines except 

 for a triangular area running up its outer face. Collar bristles of two kinds, (i) winged 

 bristles and (2) fine capillary bristles with a denticulated edge. The abdominal bristles 

 are geniculate. The tube has three longitudinal denticulated ridges and a very large 

 peristome. 



