WoRMS name details
Holotype USNM 19338, geounit Gilbert Islands [details]
From editor or global species database
Depth range Surface, taken at night by electric light. [details]
Distribution Central Pacific Ocean: Kiribati, northern Gilbert Islands (off Abaiang). Only known from the type locality. [details]
Etymology The specific epithet torquens is the Latin word for 'twisting' or 'curling', and refers to the "strongly coiled state" of the body of the holotype (Chamberlin, 1919: 172). [details]
Habitat The only known specimens were collected at the surface, at night by electric night. All the specimens were reproductive stolons, and the atokous form and its habitat is not known. [details]
Taxonomy Nygren (2004: 112) revised the types of Autolytus obliquatus and A. torquens, considered to be male and female stolons of the same species: "Both taxa have 6 chaetigers in region a, achaetous knobs, large distal tooth in compound chaetae, and a thin bayonet chaetae. The specimens were also collected at the same locality at the same occasion. Stolons with 6 chaetigers in region a, in combination with achaetous knobs are only found in Procerini, and the only described atokes with thin bayonet chaetae in this group are Proceraea anopla, and Imajimaea spp. None of the known Imajimaea species possess a large distal tooth in their compounds, but P. anopla does. Considering these characters, it is possible, that A. obliquatus closest relative is P. anopla. Mature stolons are unknown for P. anopla, but the colour pattern is very distinct in P. anopla, even in preserved specimens; possible synonymy is thus excluded. However, as the atoke is unknown in A. obliquatus, it is not at present certain to what genus it should be referred, it is here considered as Procerini incertae sedis." [details]
Type locality Pacific Ocean, Kiribati, northern Gilbert Islands, off Apaiang (= Abaiang) (geocoordinates not provided, estimated with gazetteer to be approximately lat. 1.675º, long. 172.992º); surface, taken at night by electric light. [details]
Type material Holotype of Autolytus torquens (USNM 19338) is a female stolon. [details]
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