ON RECENT SPECIES OF SPIRASERPULA REGENHARDT, 1961 



51 



submarine cave, 6m, legit G. Harmelin, vii.1971 (7 speci- 

 mens, ZMA V. Pol. 3159). 5. Friocil Harbour (5 out of 

 several specimens, BMNH ZB 1989 54-100). 6. Grand Con- 

 glu; 1987 (5 out of several specimens, BMNH ZB 1989 

 151-200). 7. Martigues; ca. 50km W of Marseille, Ponteau 

 Electric Plant, under stones, 1.3m, 5. iv. 1977 (2 out of several 

 specimens, SME). 8. La Ciotat; ca 30km E. of Marseille, Bee 

 de l'Aigle, on concretions of sand, 40m, iii.1970 (3 speci- 

 mens, SME). 9. Canyon de la Cassidaigne; about 20km E of 

 Marseille, off Cassis, from 170-270m by dredging, 15. vi. 1974 

 (tubes, 1 specimen, SME). 



NW Corsica: 10. Revellata, 15m, calcareous algal masses, 

 8.iv.l978 (2 specimens, SME). 



Italy: 11. S coast of Sorrento peninsula, 'Grotto Zaffiro', 

 10m, 29.V.1974 (3 specimens, SME). 12. Bari; 10m, cave, 

 legit T.M.Griessinger, 8.vii.l968 (5 specimens, SME). 

 Greece: 13. Gulf of Corinth, Aspra Spitia, 5m, 26. ix. 1977 (3 

 specimens, SME). 



Malta: 14. Oxford University Underwater Exploration Group 

 1965, scrapings from roof of cave, det. Pillai (2 specimens, 

 BMNH ZB1989 32-36). 



Tunisia: 15. Tabarka; algal concretions, 31-36m, 24. iv. 1969 

 (1 specimen, SME). 16. Zembra Islands, concretions, 35m, 

 30. iv. 1969 (few tubes with portions of worms, SME). 17. 

 'Dauphin' Stn.24, 35°12'N 11°25'E, 73m, on Area, legit 

 Bane, Medit. Mar. Sorting Center, 28.viii.1967 (1 specimen, 

 SME). 18. Gulf of Gabes; 'Calypso', 34°05'N 10°48'E, 23m, 

 muddy sand with Caulerpa meadow, on shelly material, 

 20.iv.1965 (1 specimen, SME1887). 19. Gulf of Gabes; 

 'Calypso', 34°13'N 10°31.9'E, 31m, Caulerpa meadow, 

 27.iv.1965 (1 specimen, SME 1910). 



SE Spain: 20. Cabo de Palos; ca 50km E of Cartagena, 6m, 

 legit A. Ramos, 4.iv. 1982 (3 specimens, SME). 21. Portman; 

 20km E of Cartagena, small overhang, 0.5-1.0m, on rock 

 covered by dark brown sediment, the latter retained on the 

 tube surfaces by oil pollution, 5.iv.l984 (20 out of several 

 specimens, SME). 



Portugal: 22. From a submarine cave near Sagres, Algarve, 

 legit H. Zibrowius Sept. 1986 (BM(NH) 1992. 181-255). 

 NE Atlantic: 23. Gorringe Bank; 'Meteor' M9c, Stn.95, AT 

 29, 36°29.9'N 11°33.0"W, 150-430m, 24. vi. 1967 (some empty 

 tubes, SME). 24. Madeira Archipelago; Jean Charcot, 

 Stn.42, SW of Porto Santo, approx. 33°0.4'N 16°24.5'W, 

 125-145m, 17.vii. 1966 (empty tubes, information pers. 

 comm. H. Zibrowius). 25. Canary Islands; W coast of Palma, 

 Tijarafe, 28°42'N 17°58'W, 20m, CANCAP 4.D14, det. M. 

 Aarts (5 out of several specimens, RMNH 18465, ZMA 

 V.Pol. 3739, BM(NH) 175-180). 26. NW Africa; off Point 

 Elbow, ex Spanish Sahara, 'Tenace' D16, Stn. 23, 24°13'N 

 16°17'W, 50-60m, legit Marche-Marchard, 13. iv. 1967 (4 

 specimens, SME). 



Type locality. Marseille (France). 



Description. In order to follow the variations within the 

 genus Spiraserpula it was considered useful to have as com- 

 plete a description as possible of one member of the group, S. 

 massiliensis was selected because of the large amount of 

 material available from various sources. The following 

 updated species description is based on the original account 

 as well as additional data obtained from a study of the above 

 collections, which include much of Zibrowius' original mate- 

 rial. 



According to Zibrowius (1968), the tubes are white, circu- 



lar in cross-section and, although difficult to measure because 

 of their coiling, may attain a length of 50.0 mm for a diameter 

 of about 0.5-1.0 mm. Their coiling is highly irregular and the 

 direction may reverse. Sometimes many tubes are joined 

 together, coiling in the same direction. They are relatively 

 thick, except in their erect portions which are cylindrical. At 

 intervals along the latter, there may be one to a few out- 

 wardly directed expansions, generally referred to as peris- 

 tomes. They are sometimes in the form of four, somewhat 

 symmetrically placed lobes. In dense populations, the erect 

 tubes may form a kind of uniform meadow in submarine 

 caves of the Mediterranean (Zibrowius, pers. comm.). The 

 surface of the tube is covered by faint granulations which, 

 very rarely, may form short longitudinal ridges. 



It is difficult to remove the worms from their tubes. When 

 removed, quite a number of specimens lacked their radiolar 

 crowns. An operculum may be present or absent. When 

 absent there is a rudimentary operculum on each side. When 

 present, the operculum is small, and its diameter does not 

 correspond with that of the tube. Its distal end is flattened to 

 slightly funnel-shaped, bearing 13 to 23 obtuse lobes. The 

 peduncle is more slender than the pinnulate radioles, and its 

 attachment to the operculum is central and constricted. The 

 corresponding radiole of the opposite side is reduced to a 

 filamentous rudimentary operculum, about one-third the 

 length of the radioles, and lacks pinnules. 



The collar consists of a large ventro-median lobe and a 

 smaller one on either side of it, all of which are rounded. The 

 thoracic membranes are broad and well developed up to 

 about the fourth thoracic chaetiger, and reduced posteriorly. 

 They are not united to form a post-thoracic ventral flap or 

 apron. The number of thoracic segments may exceed the 

 usual seven found in many other species of Serpula. Each 

 collar fascicle generally possesses four bayonet-shaped 

 chaetae and a similar number of simple bladed chaetae. Each 

 bayonet chaeta has a striated blade distally, and several teeth 

 on the basal boss. Thoracic uncini bear 3-5 teeth. Anterior 

 abdominal bundles consist of 2-3 flat trumpet shaped 

 chaetae. Uncini possess 2-5 teeth in a single row. The 

 posterior abdominal segments bear long capillary chaetae, 

 and rasp-shaped uncini with several rows of teeth. 



Additional data obtained during the present study are as 

 follows: 



TUBES: White to faintly creamish, and may occur in closely 

 intertwined masses of a few to several individuals (Fig. 4, A); 

 sometimes solitary. Except for their free erect portions, they 

 are mutually bonded to various extents, particularly at their 

 bases. Their 'granular overlay' is shown in Fig. 4 A, and the 

 four-lobed peristomes in Fig. 4, B & C. 



An important character which had not been reported 

 relates to the tube, which bears ITS. In its first formed 

 portion, which is normally coiled, there is a serrated longitu- 

 dinal ridge. Careful removal of numerous specimens from 

 their tubes has shown that this serrated ridge is always on the 

 convex side of the coils, as also found in masses consisting of 

 several individuals (Fig. 4, A). The orientation of the worm 

 within the tube is such that the posterior dorsal part of its 

 abdomen is always applied to this serrated 'dorsal ridge' 

 (Fig. 3, D). This, in addition to its tight coiling, accounts for 

 the difficulties encountered in extracting complete worms 

 from their tubes by Zibrowius (1968) and in the present 

 study. 



The numerous specimens in the collection from Portman 

 show an apparent exception in lacking ITS. However, confir- 



