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Records of the Australian Museum (2009) Vol. 61 
and apparently totally lacking in larger ones. The thoracic 
membranes extend to the last thoracic chaetigers, but do 
not form an apron. Ontogenetic studies would help to 
confirm whether in P. bispiralis too an apron is present in 
juveniles and lost in specimens. Meanwhile, following ten 
Hove (1994), the above specimens are assigned to Protula 
bispiralis. 
Distribution. Widely in the Indo-West Pacific (ten Hove, 
1994). 
Pseudoprotula n.gen. 
Type species. Pseudoprotula kimberleyensis n.sp. 
Diagnosis. Operculum absent. Thorax consists of 7 
chaetigers. Special collar chaetae: simple blades (devoid 
of fin-shaped basal part). Sickle-shaped chaetae present in 
posterior thoracic chaetigers. Thoracic membranes present, 
terminate on 5th thoracic chaetiger; apron absent. Uncinal 
tori borne along posterior edge of a wide flap-like extension 
on each side. Thoracic uncini: rasp-shaped, their most 
anterior tooth simple and elongated. Abdominal chaetae: 
geniculate. 
Remarks. All taxa presently considered to belonging to the 
“ Protula/Apomatus complex” possess an apron. Some may 
or may not possess an operculum. Pseudoprotula lacks an 
apron. 
Pseudoprotula kimberleyensis n.sp. 
Fig. 2H,I 
Type material. Kimberleys, Western Australia: Holotype: AM W202938, 
east Montalivet Island, 15°06'S 125°18'E, 6.0 m, 15 Jul. 1988, st 50; tube 
missing. Paratype: AM W29690, east Montalivet Island, 15°06'S 125°18'E, 
6 m, 15 Jul. 1988, st 50, tube missing; coll. P.A. Hutchings. 
Description 
Measurements. Holotype (complete worm) total length 10.3 
mm; width of thorax: 1.2 mm; length of abdomen 5.9 mm. 
Paratype: incomplete, lacks radioles; length without radioles 
about 15.5 mm; width of thorax 1.2; length of abdomen 10.5 
mm. Holotype (Fig. 2H,I) with 11 radioles on left and 14 on 
right, pinnule-free tips short; its abdomen has 79 segments, 
with capillaries on about the last 30 segments. Paratype has 
93 abdominal segments, with capillaries from about the 77th. 
Tube. Missing in holotype and paratype. 
Worm. Operculum absent; thorax with 7 pairs of chaetal 
fascicles; thoracic membranes broad and end on 5th 
chaetiger (Fig. 21); first five thoracic uncinal tori on each 
side borne along posterior edge of a wide flap-like extension, 
posterolateral to its corresponding thoracic notochaetal 
fascicle; last uncinal torus on each side borne on a similar, 
larger, flap-like expansion. Corresponding flap-like expansions 
of the two sides not joined to form an apron (Fig. 2H). 
Etymology. Named after the type locality, off the 
Kimberleys. 
Genus Vermiliopsis Saint Joseph, 1894 
Type species. Vermiliopsis multivaricosa Morch, 1865 (= V. 
infundibulum Philippi, 1844), following Bush (1905: 233) 
and Zibrowius (1971, 1973b). Also see Fauvel (1927: 361) 
for synonymies. 
Diagnosis. Operculum present; inserted in position of first 
branchial radiole; no rudimentary operculum; chitinous; 
bears transverse septa or other structural arrangements. 
Thoracic membranes extend along part of thorax; apron 
absent. Thorax consists of 7 chaetigers; special collar chaetae 
simple blades (i.e., lack fin-shaped basal part); sickle-shaped 
chaetae present in posterior thoracic chaetigers; thoracic 
uncini saw-shaped, their most anterior uncinal tooth simple; 
abdominal neurochaetae geniculate. 
Vermiliopsis cylindrica n.sp. 
Figs 3A-N, 4A-E 
Type material. Kimberleys, Western Australia: Holotype: AM W21406, 
Lafontane Island, 14°10'S 125°47'E, 15 m, 19 Jul. 1988, st 68. Paratypes: 
3, AM W21471, south west corner of Lucas Island 15°13'S 124°31'E, 30 
m, 24 Jul. 1988, st 101; 3, AM W21434, east of Montalivet Island, 15°06'S 
125°47'E, intertidal, 6 m, 16 Jul. 1988, st 50; coll. P.A. Hutchings. 
Non-type material. Kimberleys, Western Australia: 1 specimen, AM 
W21401, east side of Fenelon Island, 14°07'S 125°02’E, 6.0 m, 18 Jul. 
1988, st 64, coll. P.A. Hutchings. 
Description 
Measurements. External tube diameter: from 4.3 mm in an 
adult specimen in AM W21471 to 0.6 mm in an early juvenile 
(Fig. 4D). Total lengths of worms: 25.3 mm in a specimen 
from AM W21471 to 6.5 mm in smallest juvenile. Thoracic 
widths: 2.5 mm to 0.5 mm in smallest available specimen in 
AM W21471. Length of operculum plus peduncle: 6.0 mm 
to 1.5 mm in smallest specimen. Length of operculum alone: 
0.5 mm in smallest specimen to 2.5 mm. 
Tube. White, mostly covered over by coral encrustation; 
difficult to remove without damage to ornamentation. 
Holotype (Fig. 3A) bears 5 longitudinal ridges in earlier 
formed posterior part, up to 7 anteriorly, where it is 
trapezoidal in cross-section. A juvenile paratype also bears 
5 longitudinal ridges, although roughly circular in cross- 
section (Fig. 4A). 
Worm. Radioles arranged in a semicircle on each side, 
their numbers ranging from 8 in a small juvenile to 22 in 
an older specimen; their pinnule-free tips club-shaped and 
thicker than pinnules; an early juvenile (Fig. 4E) has very 
few radioles on each side, somewhat swollen tips, and its 
operculum not yet developed. Operculum occurs on left or 
right side; rudimentary operculum absent. It consists of a 
bulbous proximal part and a chitinous distal part; the latter 
measuring 2.1 mm in a larger specimen, to 0.7 mm in a 
small juvenile. Chitinous distal part is characteristically 
cylindrical rather than conical; quite transparent (Fig. 
3D,I,M); its diameter greater than its height, giving it the 
appearance of a circular pillbox, even in specimens with 
with a single partition (Fig. 3B-D,H,I). Maximum number 
of partitions few, up to about 4 or 5 (Fig. 3L-N). Terminal 
