Pillai: Serpulid polychaetes from the Australian Kimberleys 
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Figure 8. A and B, tubes of V. infundibulum. (A) after Fauvel (1927: 
fig. 124c), magnified about 4 times that of Fauvel’s figure which 
represented its natural size. It also shows ontogenetic changes in 
which the earliest formed part abruptly increases in diameter and 
develops the vase-shaped peristomes, already bearing 11 of them 
in the tube of approximately 48.0 mm in length; (B) after Bianchi 
(1981: fig. 25a), same size as original figure; evidently an older 
tube compared to A; note the well-formed terminal peristome and 
thickened edges. (C) After Monro (1930: fig. 88c), same size as 
original figure; tube fragment figured by Monro as belonging to 
Vermiliopsis glandigera Gravier, 1908. Note that none of three types 
of tubes A-C occur in V. glandigera described from the Kimberleys. 
/glandigera group” from the Indo-West Pacific. Further work 
is necessary to determine whether Imajima’s specimens from 
Southwest Japan belong to a hitherto un-named species. 
Fiege & Sun (1999: 133-136, fig. 21) describe material 
from the South China Sea as belonging to the “ Vermiliopsis 
infundibulum/glandigera group”. Since only anterior 
fragments were available, or they were retracted into their 
tubes, the authors did not provide the total length of the 
worm, numbers of radioles or the extent of the thoracic 
membranes. The opercula and their peduncles show 
similarities to those of Gravier’s V. glandigera from the 
Red Sea, as well as the Kimberleys material belonging 
to the latter. They are also similar in not having sharply 
demarcated dark brown bands that are characteristic of the 
opercula of Imajima’s species. However, the number of teeth 
in their thoracic uncini is around 15, whereas it is around 12 
in V. glandigera. Apomatus- chaetae commence on the 3rd 
thoracic chaetiger in the South China Sea specimens, while 
they co mm ence on the 4th in the Kimberleys specimens 
of V. glandigera. Data on the South China Sea specimens 
appear to be inadequate to determine whether they belong 
to V. glandigera or another species. 
The material from Pakistan described by Ishaq & 
Mustaquim (1996: 182-183) as belonging to the “K 
infundibulum/glandigera group” appears to possess some 
important differences from V. glandigera. The worms attain a 
total length of up to about 18.0 mm, the number of radioles is 
10 to 12 on each side, thoracic membranes reach up to the end 
of the 4th thoracic chaetiger, Apomatus-chaetae occur from 
the 4th chaetiger onwards, and thoracic uncini have 10-12 
teeth. Its description hitherto is similar to that of V. glandigera. 
However, there are significant differences. A maximum 
number of up to 114 abdominal segments have been observed 
in the material from Pakistan, as opposed to about half that 
number in V. glandigera. The most important difference is 
with regard to the operculum of the material from Pakistan, 
in which transverse partitions are absent even in worms 
larger than V. glandigera. Furthermore, Ishaq & Mustaquim 
describe the shape of the operculum as being ovoid to conical 
and, according their figure (fig. 11 A) the dome-shaped horny 
opercular cap is blackish or black. The species is, evidently, 
neither V. infundibulum nor V. glandigera. 
Genus Pomatostegus Schmarda, 1861 
Type species. Pomatostegus actinoceros (Morch, 1863) 
Diagnosis. Operculum present, inserted in position of first 
radiole; chitinous, consists of a series of circular discs and 
circlets of spines transversely arranged along a central 
column; peduncle winged. Inter-radiolar membranes present. 
Thorax consists of 7 chaetigers. A pair of thoracic glands 
present, represented by a pair of ventrolateral slit-like 
apertures. Thoracic membranes end on third thoracic 
chaetiger; apron absent. Special collar chaetae: bayonet¬ 
shaped, boss serrated. Sickle-shaped chaetae present. 
Thoracic uncini saw-shaped, most anterior uncinal tooth 
simple; abdominal neurochaetae geniculate. 
The genus is presently known to consist only of its type 
species. With its distribution apparently extending from the 
tropical western Atlantic to the Indo-Pacific it appears to be 
an ancient serpulid taxon. 
Pomatostegus actinoceros (Morch, 1863) 
Figs 9A-E, 10A-E 
Pomatostegus actinoceros Morch, 1863. 
Pomatostegus stellatus (Abildgaard, 1789).—Fiege & Sun 
(1999: 131-133, fig. 19), Imajima (1986: 9), Imajima 
(1977: 101-102), Straughan (1977: 1-102), Pillai (1960: 
23, fig. 8F-I) and Dew (1959: 39, fig. 14). 
Material examined. Kimberleys, Western Australia: 2 specimens from AM 
W21438, Lafontane Island, 14°10'S 125°47’E, 15 m, 19 Jul. 1988, st 68. 3 
specimens, AM W202961, Long Reef, 13°58’S 125°38'E, 25 m, 17 Jul. 1998, 
st 58; 2 specimens, one an operculum only, AM W21452, reef north west 
of Buffon Island, 14°55'S 124°48’E, 20 m, 23 Jul. 1988, st 85. 1 specimen 
with an incomplete operculum, AM W21428, south side of Long Reef, 
