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Records of the Australian Museum (2009) Vol. 61 
Figure 53. A-G, Spirobranchus murrayi n.sp., from Gulf of Oman, South Arabian coast, Murray Expedition stations 53 & 71, BMNH 
1937.9.2.550. (A) operculum of a specimen, with the Hydrazoan Coelenterate Teissiera on its opercular plate; (B) dorsal view of a whole 
worm; its operculum and peduncle is conspicuously long compared to the rest of the body, and its peduncular wings are unfringed; ( C,D ) 
two different views of the 3-tiered operculum of specimen figured in A, also showing the unfringed peduncular wings; (E) some branchial 
radioles showing the unfringed inter-radiolar membranes; ( F, G ) bayonet-shaped special collar chaetae showing a squarish boss, an indenta¬ 
tion between the boss and the blade, and a corresponding outward bend on the opposite side of the blade, the constancy or otherwise of 
which needs further investigation. The blade is longer than the serrated distal part of the chaetal shaft plus the boss. 
identification label on the jar. Removal of the epizoic 
coelenterate, however, reveals that it is not so. One of the three 
specimens had subsequently been cleared of the coelenterate 
which, according to the second label, led to the specimens 
being identified as Spirobranchus latiscapus. Clearing the 
remaining two worms during the present study revealed that 
they too belong to the same S. latiscapus- like species. 
Spirobranchus murrayi n.sp., differs from other “S'. 
latiscapus- like” species having stacked opercular plates 
described in this paper with regard to the following 
characters. Firstly, with regard to their special collar chaetae: 
in S. murrayi they are bayonet-shaped, a boss is present, and 
the blade is longer than the serrated distal part of the shaft 
plus boss (Fig. 53G). In S. zibrowii they are not bayonet¬ 
shaped, a boss is not distinguishable from the blade, and the 
distal part of chaetal shaft is not serrated (Fig. 63K). In S. 
zelandicus they are more or less bayonet-shaped, the boss is 
elongated and merges gradually with the blade, and the blade 
is about as long as the serrated distal part of the shaft plus 
boss (Fig. 6IF); those of S. tenhovi (Fig. 61) are smaller and 
more slender than those of S. murrayi. As in the latter, the 
blade is longer than the serrated distal part of the shaft in S. 
