Ampharete Malmgren, 1866

Ampharete Malmgren, 1866 View in CoL

Type species: Ampharete grubei Malmgren,1866 .

synonyms:

Asabellides Annenkova, 1929 View in CoL ; type Sabellides sibirica Wiren, 1883 View in CoL by monotypy.

Parampharete Hartman, 1967 View in CoL ; type Parampharete weddellia Hartman, 1967 View in CoL by original designation.

Pseudosabellides Berkeley et Berkeley, 1943 ; type Pseudosabellides littoralis Berkeley et Berkeley, 1943 by original designation.

Pterampharete Augener, 1918 ; type Pterampharete luederitzi Augener, 1918 by monotypy.

Sabellides Milne Edwards in Lamarck, 1838; type Sabella octocirrata Sars, 1835 by monotypy.

? Amythasides Eliason, 1955 ; type Amythasides macroglossus Eliason, 1955 by monotypy.

DIAGNOSIS. Prostomium trilobed, middle lobe anteriorly rounded. A pair of nephridial papillae mid-dorsally posterior to branchiae, usually easily visible. Neuropodia of two types, all thoracic and AU1 and AU2 tori, remaining abdominal neuropodia pinnuli. Uncini pectinate, i.e. with series of equal teeth arranged like a comb ( Fig. 1 View Fig ), in general, uncini are similar throughout the body, without a sharp change when changing the type of neuropodial type. Modified noto- and neuropodia absent .

REMARKS. 1. Proposed by me synonymy of Ampharete presently is discussed earlier ( Jirkov, 1989, 1994, 2001, 2011) and mainly already widely accepted.

2. Following characters usually are included in generic diagnosis, but due variation within genera can’t be part of the diagnosis. Buccal tentacles pectinate. Four (seldom 3) pairs of branchiae. Paleae from huge to absent. Number of AU usually constant for species (usually 12 or 13), but if it exceeds 14, then individual variation appears, the more variation the more AU number.

3. Within Ampharete the number of AU with tori is constant (always AU1 and AU2), despite the number of thoracic segments varies (can be 11 or 12). In other words, the total number of segments with tori (thoracic + abdominal segments) varies. Contrary within some other ampharetid genera, for example Lysippe Malmgren, 1866 , the total number of segments with tori is constant, so the number of AU with tori varies follows the number of thoracic segments varies.

Within the genus, several groups of species are outlined. Species of such group are characterized by perfectly developed paleal chaetae sharply narrowed into slim filiform tip. Tips of paleal chaetae appear to be stout and curved under normal magnification. If not broken of, a filiform tip can be observed only under high magnification ( Figs 4A–C View Fig , 8D, E View Fig , 12B– D View Fig , 15E–G View Fig , 21B View Fig , 24D View Fig ). It is important to underline that only shape of paleal tips not the size and width of paleal chaetae is important.Paleal chaetae of other species of the genus, if present, even they are much thicker the most developed notochaetae, slowly tapering ( Fig.2 View Fig ). Within paleal bundle smallest (youngest?) chaetae can slightly differ. Especially this difference sharp in species with paleal chaetae slowly tapering, because only tips are visible outside a body (see photo Jirkov, 2018, Fig. 9A View Fig ). It can confuse, especially when fully developed chaetae are broken, that is why Krüger et al. (2022) mentioned two types of paleal chaetae of Ampharete acutifrons .

Also, all species of Ampharete (superspecies finmarchica ), except A. goesi have 13 AU — the number, no longer found within the genus (most Ampharete have 12 AU) and all species with known pygidium have two cirri of variable length (probably depending of fixation), while many other Ampharete lack such cirri. All of these characters are independent and rigidly connected. It is noteworthy in this respect the history of clarifying the taxonomic position of A. seribranchia described below. For establishing of subgenera it is necessary to made revision of the whole genus. At the same time, the considered aggregate of species is clearly isolated and therefore can be distinguished as a superspecies Ampharete (superspecies finmarchica ). The superspecies rank is not often used in taxonomy of Polychaeta and never used in Ampharete . The usage of names of aggregates of species is regulated by Article 6.2 of ICZN.

Data on genetics are currently completely insufficient for use in taxonomy of the genus. In Genbank on 05/07/2022 there are 57 data on Ampharete . Of these, only 34 are identified to the species level. They belong to seven species, and only one species of the them ( A. finmarchica itself) belong to considered Ampharete (superspecies finmarchica ).

The superspecies includes eight taxa of species group. Whenever possible types have been investigated (species with investigated types are marked by *).

1. * Ampharete britayevi sp.n.

2. Ampharete eupalea Chamberlin, 1920

3. Ampharete finmarchica ( Sars, 1865) as Amphicteis

4. Ampharete goesi Malmgren, 1866

5. * Ampharete goesi brazhnikovi Annenkova, 1929

6. * Ampharete kerguelensis McIntosh, 1885

7. * Ampharete kudenovi Jirkov, 1994

8. * Ampharete longipaleolata Uschakov, 1950

About two thousand investigated specimens, including those collected close to the type localities of A. finmarchica , and its synonym A. arctica agree well with description of types by Holthe (1986a). Topotypes of A. goesi agree well with original description (types lost). Unfortunately, in the present circumstances investigation of type A. eupalea deposed in Canada is not possible.

4. Ampharete labrops Hartman, 1961 according to Banse (1979) and Hilbig (2000) has 13 AU. Unfortunately both did not described tips of paleae, so is this species the member of Ampharete (superspecies finmarchica ) or not is not clear. Also the number of abdominal uncinigers is not mentioned in the original description and later redescription. Investigation of materials from Pacific North America is necessary.