D. Eibye-jacobsen et Ag. Soares, New records of Scolelepis (Polychaeta : Spionidae) from the sandy beaches of Madagascar, with the description of a new species, B MARIN SCI, 67(1), 2000, pp. 571-586
Three species of the genus Scolelepis (Polychaeta, Spionidae) are reported
from intertidal beaches in Madagascar. A new species, Scolelepis (Scolelepi
s) vazaha n.sp., is described from Cap Eat (type locality) and Fort Dauphin
. This species is unique among spionids in possessing at least one large, c
urved hook in each notopodium of setiger 4. Males may additionally have sim
ilar hooks on setiger 5 or on setigers 5 and 6. On median setigers males al
so possess peculiar notopodial swellings, some of which contain a geniculat
e, penicillate seta of a type previously unknown for the family. S. (S.) wi
lliami (de Silva, 1961), formerly known only from the original description
of two specimens from Sri Lanka, was found on five beaches along the southe
ast coast of Madagascar. This poorly known species is redescribed and compa
red to the closely related S. (S.) laciniata Eibye-Jacobsen, 1997, describe
d from the west coast of Thailand. S. (S.) lefebvrei (Gravier, 1905), previ
ously reported from the west coast of Madagascar, was also found on six san
dy beaches along the northeast and southeast coasts. Earlier descriptions a
re supplemented by information on variation in numerical characters. Scanni
ng electron photographs and details on palp morphology are provided for all
three species.