Typhloscolex sp.

Typhloscolex sp.

( Figs 1 View FIGURE 1 , 10A–B View FIGURE 10 , 11 View FIGURE 11 )

Material examined. Seven specimens: ZMMU WS20970 View Materials (Et), ZMMU WS20971 View Materials (FA), ZMMU WS20972 View Materials , ZMMU WS20973 View Materials , ZMMU WS20974 View Materials , ZMMU WS20975 View Materials (Et), ZMMU WS20976 View Materials (FA, Et) .

Description (based on all our material). Body 3–3.5 mm long, thick, with 21–22 chaetigers of body trunk. Live and preserved worms white, semi-transparent. Prostomium mushroom-shaped, round in frontal view, 1–0.9 body diameter; dorsal and ventral prostomial lobes of similar size, with dorsal and ventral marginal belts of long thick cilia ( Fig. 10 View FIGURE 10 ). Apical palpodium consists of cylindrical base and thin distal part ( Fig. 10A View FIGURE 10 ). Nuchal lappets rounded, ciliated, attached to base of dorsal prostomial lobe ( Fig. 10A View FIGURE 10 ). Extended proboscis short, with short conical dorsal appendage ( Fig. 10B View FIGURE 10 ). Cephalic and parapodial cirri not observed. Places of attachment of three anterior cirri arranged in strait line, 1 st (cephalic), 2 nd and 3 rd (neck) cirri located one above another. All following segments with dorsal and ventral podial cirri ( Fig. 10A View FIGURE 10 ). Parapodia start from 6 th segment (3 rd chaetiger), small, conical, uniramous, each with two simple recurved capillary chaetae, and one thick aciculum penetrating through epidermis. Caudal cirri oval ( Fig. 10A View FIGURE 10 ).

Distribution. Central Red Sea (this study).

Remarks. According to 18S and 28S markers, this Typhloscolex forms a sister clade to T. cf. muelleri ( Fig. 11 View FIGURE 11 ). It differs morphologically both from a typical T. muelleri from the Atlantic and our T. cf. mueleri in size and comparative lengths of head and body trunk. Overall, the difference between the two forms is rather notable. Unfortunately, all our specimens lost their podial cirri.