Lepidonotus Leach, 1816

Genus Lepidonotus Leach, 1816 View in CoL

Lepidonotus cristatus (Grube, 1876) ( Figure 1 View Figure 1 ).

Synonyms: 1876, Polynoe cristata Grube, Jahres-Bericht der, Schlesiche, Gesellschaft für vaterländische Cultur, Breslau, 53: 46–72.1901. 1901, L. cristatus Gravier , 210, pl. 7 figs. 104–110, pl. 9 fig. 136, text-figs. 214–218; 1953, Fauvel, 35, fig. 13 n; 1967, Day, 82, fig. I. 14. f–i.

Material examined: 02 ex. Kavaratti (10°32.995”N; 072°37.448”E), October 30, 2019, and 01 ex. Kalpeni (10°05.551”N; 072°38.673”E), October 27, 2019, Lakshadweep, coll. S. Balakrishnan; (ZSI/ MARC / P10801 and ZSI/ MARC / P10802 ) ( Figure 2 View Figure 2 ) .

Diagnostic characters: Body length 22.24-32.28mm and its width 4.40-5.92mm ( Figure 2a View Figure 2 ). The prostomium is partially obstructed by a square occipital fold but longer than broad ( Figure 2b View Figure 2 ). Median and lateral antennae are subequal. The anterior pair of eyes is large, and the posterior pair is smaller, closer together, and often hidden by the occipital fold. Elytra without margin fringes. Each elytron ( Figure 2c View Figure 2 ) palette is shaped with a dark mark over the elytrophore and two large soft cushions. The surface is covered with conical tubercles. Dorsal cirri resemble the antennae and extend to the neurosetae’s extremities. Notoseate ( Figure 2d View Figure 2 ) has short tips and is coarsely but closely serrated. Neurosetae ( Figure 2e View Figure 2 ) stout with numerous rows of spinules; most neurosetae are unidentate, but some have a very small secondary tooth.

Occurrence: Global - Red Sea, Indo-Pacific Ocean ( Day, 1967), China ( Glasby et al., 2016), Western Australia ( Day, 1975); India - Tamil Nadu, Andaman and Nicobar Islands ( Sivadas & Carvalho, 2020).

Remarks: The first distributional record to Kavaratti and Kalpeni, Lakshadweep Archipelago.