Polychaeta taxon details
original description
Núñez, J., Martínez, A. & Brito, M.C. (2009) A new species of <i>Sphaerosyllis</i> Claparède, 1863 (Polychaeta: Syllidae: Exogoninae) from the Atlantida Tunnel, Lanzarote, Canary Islands. <i>Marine Biodiversity</i>, 39 (3), 209-214. , available online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-009-0026-3 page(s): 210-211, figs. 1-3 [details]
Holotype TFMC AN/000224, geounit Canary Islands [details]
Paratype Dzull PO/LA032008, geounit Canary Islands [details]
Paratype TFMC AN/000225, geounit Canary Islands [details]
Paratype TFMC AN/000226, geounit Canary Islands [details]
From editor or global species database
Distribution Canary Islands, Lanzarote, Montaña de Arena, Atlantida Tunnel. Known only from the type locality. [details]
Etymology The species is named in honour of Thomas M. Iliffe, one of the collectors of the specimens, in recognition of his many contributions to the biology of marine cave fauna. [details]
Habitat Coarse sand with 0.53-0.55% organic matter, and 86.3-93.1% carbonates, in a marine lava tube. [details]
Morphology Sexual dimorphism exists, with males with ventral cirri characteristically slender and longer than parapodia from chaetiger 13, whereas females have ventral cirri which are similar in both of form and size along the body. [details]
Reproduction The reproduction method includes ventral egg incubation and juvenile development while attached ventrally. Each studied female harboured a single egg attached in a ventro-lateral position to chaetiger 12, where it developed directly and remained up to a 6-chaetiger juvenile state. The development of natatory notochaetae in males, a typical reproductive feature of Exogoninae, has noot been observed in Sphaerosyllis iliffei. [details]
Type locality Canary Islands, Lanzarote, Montaña de Arena, Atlantida Tunnel, Jameos del Agua (geocoordinates not provided, estimated with a gazetteer to be lat. 29.156379º, long. -13.426074º). [details]From regional or thematic species database
Depth range About 20-30 m. [details]
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