Bispira manicata Grube 1878
Creators: name: Capa, María
name: Murray, Anna
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Annelida
Polychaeta
Sabellida
Sabellidae
Bispira
Bispira manicata

description: Bispira manicata (Grube, 1878)
(Fig. 2A–F)
Sabella manicata Grube, 1878: 255 –256, pl. 14, fig. 3. Bispira manicata.— Knight-Jones & Perkins 1998: 424 –426, fig. 15; Capa 2008: 309 –314, figs 4G–N, 5A–G, 6. Bispira tricyclia.— Knight-Jones & Perkins 1998: 419 –422, fig. 13 fide Capa 2008.
Material examined. Queensland, Lizard Island: AM W.30378 (3), North Point, 14°39′ S, 145°27′E, 14 m, 25 Oct 2006; AM W.30379, patch reef near Osprey Island, 14°42′S, 145°30′E, 14 m, 26 Oct 2006. One specimen observed (but not collected) at Watsons Bay, around 20 m, Aug 2013 (Fig. 2A).
Description of material examined. Specimens up to 45 mm long and 3 mm wide, with 11–15 thoracic numerous abdominal segments. Live specimens white, with purple or brownish transverse bands on radiolar crown (Fig. 2A–B), with pigmented dorsal lips, ventral sacs and inner side of ventral lappets; purple triangular patches on dorsal and ventral margins of thoracic chaetigers (Fig. 2C–D). Small black interramal eyespots on abdominal chaetigers and on lateral sides of pygidium. The purple pigment turns dark brown in preserved specimens (Fig. 2C– F). Radiolar crown with both lobes involuted ventrally up to one whorl, with several radioles each. Basal membrane reduced. Dorsal and ventral basal flanges absent. Radioles with smooth outer margins or with discontinuous, paired radiolar flanges near radiolar eyes. Four to seven rows of vacuolated cells supporting radioles basally, not extending into radiolar flanges. Two or three pairs of compound radiolar eyes, semispherical in shape, arranged on proximal half of radioles (Fig. 2B). Dorsal lips with long radiolar appendages, dorsal pinnular appendages absent. Ventral lips and parallel lamellae present, ventral sacs prominent and directed outside of crown (Fig. 2C). Collar with short dorsal margins widely separated dorsally (Fig. 2D), lateral notches dividing dorsolateral lobes of collar, ventral lappets separated by midventral incision and bent inwards (Fig. 2C). Glandular ridge on anterior chaetigers absent. Thoracic ventral shields not in contact with adjacent tori (Fig. 2C), first shield with W-shaped anterior margin. Collar chaetae narrowly-hooded, in two oblique rows. Following thoracic chaetigers with conical notopodia (Fig. 2E), bearing characteristic hand-shaped papillae at base of parapodia in large specimens. Superior thoracic chaetae narrowly-hooded, inferior chaetae spine-like. Thoracic neuropodial uncini avicular, with small teeth surmounting main fang over half its length, well developed breast and short handle. Companion chaetae with an asymmetrical distal hood and almost smooth surface. Abdominal chaetae on short, conical neuropodia, anterior spine-like in a C-shaped arrangement (Fig. 2F), posterior chaetae narrowlyhooded. Abdominal uncini similar to thoracic ones, with slightly less developed breast. Pre-pygidial abdominal depression absent. Pygidium as rim with midventral anus; cirrus absent. Tube thick and flexible mainly made of mud with some sand around the opening.
Remarks. This is the only Bispira species reported in Australia possessing paired compound radiolar eyes and with typical white and purple (brown in preserved specimens) pigmentation. The most similar species is B. serrata Capa, 2008, distinguishable by the presence of distally serrated radiolar flanges and absence of pigmentation on radiolar crown. Bispira manicata shares several diagnostic features with other congeners distributed worldwide, such as B. viola (Grube, 1863), B. mariae Lo Bianco, 1893 and B. guinensis (Augener, 1922). Close examination of species is required to establish species boundaries, especially after evidence that B. manicata has been found on ship hulls and is considered as cryptogenic (Capa 2014). First record for Lizard Island.
Habitat. Muddy and sandy sediments near coral reefs, crevices in rocks, coral rubble or dead coral (Capa 2008).
Type locality. Bohol Island, Philippines.
Distribution. Philippines, Indonesia, Australia (Western Australian, Northern Territory, Queensland).
description: Published as part of Capa, María & Murray, Anna, 2015, A taxonomic guide to the fanworms (Sabellidae, Annelida) of Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, including new species and new records, pp. 98-167 in Zootaxa 4019 (1) on page 104, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4019.1.8, http://zenodo.org/record/240803