162 
THE CORAL TRIANGLE: HEARST BIODIVERSITY EXPEDITION 
elytra with fewer and greatly enlarged polygonal areas; it bears low, spinous macrotubereles along 
widened transparent posterior margins and no lateral spinous papillae are present unlike the new 
species. I. reticulata is considered herein to be a valid species no longer of questionable status and 
will be re-described in a later paper. 
Iphione maUfera differs from descriptions of Iphione treadwelli Pettibone, 1986 in lacking 
raised oval thickened areas of the elytra and from Iphione henshawi Pettibone, 1986 by lacking 
conical tubercles with long distal papillae. The species differs from Iphione coriolos (Hanley and 
Burke, 1991) by the absence of bidentate neurochaetae and long papillae on neuropodial lobes. 
Iphione malifera differs from the original description of Iphione hirta Quatrefages, 1866 in lack¬ 
ing bristly spines on posterior surfaces of elytra; however this species was poorly described with¬ 
out illusb'ations, and no type materials exist, hence the taxon was considered questionable by Pet¬ 
tibone (1986). 
Although only a single specunen of I. malifera has been collected to date, an image (photo id 
900075) of a very similar species was made by photographers Philippe and Guido Poppe in 2004 
from Caubian Island, Philippines of a specunen with similar appearance and was posted on their 
underwater image website <http://m\mipoppe-images.com/?t=17&photoich 900075>. Although 
the subject is identified as Paralepidonotus indicus, it bears dark elytral streaks typical of/, malif¬ 
era, fewer elytral pairs than a Paralepidonotus should have, and may be this species. No specimen 
or high-resolution image is available. 
Key to currently valid species of Iphione 
Compiled based on the following references: Rubier and Fishelson, 1978; Pettibone, 1986; Hanley 
and Burke, 1991; Wehe, 2006. Where species descriptions in these references conflict, original 
descriptions and previous descriptions of specimens from the type region have been applied. 
la Median elytra with fewer than 70 enlarged polygonal areas; smooth wide transparent posterior elytra 
margins; lacking lateral papillae. Iphione reticulata [type locality Red Sea] 
lb Median elytra with greater tlian 200 small polygonal areas; lacking smooth wide transparent posterior 
margins; with or without lateral papillae.2 
2a Lateral elytra margins with fringe papillae.3 
2b Lateral elytra margins lacldng fringe papillae.5 
3a Posterolateral and posteromedial surfaces of median elytra with 2 or more diagonal rows of tall conical 
spinous or smooth round-tipped macrotubercles; long cylindrical lateral papillae with flexible bases 
inserted subdistally along lateral margins.6 
3b Posterolateral suiTaces of elytra with several to numerous short conical macrobutercles or low oval thick¬ 
ened areas; short club-shaped, rounded, or digitate lateral papillae.4 
4a Surfaces of elytra with up to 6 raised oval thickened areas near posterior borders; bead like fringe of dis- 
tally wide scaly lateral papillae with short stems.. .Iphione treadwelli [type locality Hawaii] 
4b Posterolateral comers of elytra with several rows of numerous short conical macrotubercles variable in 
form, bearing raised overlapping areolae and few distal papillae; numerous spinous lateral papillae with 
flexible bases. Iphione henshawi [type locality Hawaii] 
5a Several elongate slender distal neuropodial papillae near base of acicular lobe; neurochaetae bidentate; 
low blunt tubercles in some polygonal areas, some with offset distal spine and/or papillae; short clavate 
papillae near elytra lateral edge. Iphione coriolis [type locality New Caledonia] 
5b Neuropodial papillae distal and short; neurochaetae unidentate or with split tips; several rows lai'ge spin¬ 
ous tubercles with distal spines. Iphione ovata [type locality Hawaii] 
6a Elytra with diagonal rows of large, conical macrotubercles in posterior and lateral regions; tubercle 
columns bearing small triangular spines and longer spines distally; neurochaetae dark gold; palp length 
less than twice tentacular cirri. Iphione muricata [type locahty Mauritius] 
