The peculiar case of Myxicola infundibulum (Polychaeta: Sabellidae): echo from a science 200 years old and description of four new taxa in the Mediterranean Sea

Figures & data

Table I. Species described in the Myxicola genus (*sensu Hayward & Ryland 1990) in the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS).

Type locality	Species	Status
1	Myxicola aesthetica (Claparède, 1870)	Accepted
2	Myxicola infundibulum (Montagu, 1808)	Accepted
3	Myxicola fauveli Potts, 1928	Accepted
4	Myxicola nana Capa & Murray, 2015	Accepted
5	Myxicola ommatophora Grube, 1878	Accepted
6	Myxicola sulcata Ehlers, 1912	Accepted
7	Myxicola violacea (Langerhans, 1884)	Accepted
8	Myxicola sarsii Krøyer, 1856	Accepted*
1A	Myxicola dinardeensis Saint-Joseph, 1894	Synonymized with M. aesthetica
1B	Myxicola glacialis Bush, 1905	Synonymized with M. aesthetica
2A	Myxicola affinis Bush, 1905	Synonymized with M. infundibulum
2B	Myxicola conjucta Bush, 1905	Synonymized with M. infundibulum
2C	Myxicola grubii Krøyer, 1856	Synonymized with M. infundibulum
2D	Myxicola michaelseni Augener, 1918	Synonymized with M. infundibulum
2E	Myxicola modesta Quatrefages, 1866	Synonymized with M. infundibulum
2F	Myxicola monacis Chamberlin, 1919	Synonymized with M. infundibulum
2G	Myxicola pacifica Johnson, 1901	Synonymized with M. infundibulum
2H	Myxicola parasites Quatrefages, 1866	Synonymized with M. infundibulum
2I	Myxicola platychaeta Marenzeller, 1884	Synonymized with M. infundibulum
2J	Myxicola steenstrupi Krøyer, 1856	Synonymized with M. infundibulum
2K	Myxicola villosa Koch in Renier 1847	Synonymized with M. infundibulum
2L	Myxicola viridis McIntosh, 1923	Synonymized with M. infundibulum

Figure 1. Distribution of the genus Myxicola worldwide. For codes, see Table I.

Figure 2. Myxicola sp. 1. (a) entire worm; (b) peristomial mid-lateral incision; (c, d) scheme of the peristomal ring: (c) ventral view; (d) dorsal view; (e) complex of ventral and dorsal lips; (f) radiolar tip; (g) scheme of radiolar section. Scale bars: b, f = 1 mm.

Figure 3. Myxicola sp. 1. (a) 1st setiger thoracic chaeta; (b) 4th setiger thoracic chaeta; (c) 24th abdominal chaeta; (d) 4th thoracic uncini; (e) 24th abdominal uncinus, lateral view and scheme of teeth above the main fang. Scale bar: 0.05 mm.

Figure 4. Myxicola sp. 2. (a) entire worm from Naples; (b, c) scheme of the peristomal ring: (b) ventral view; (c) lateral view; (d) complex of ventral and dorsal lips; (e) pygidium; (f) radiolar tip; (g) scheme of radiolar section. Scale bar: b, c = 2 mm; d, f = 1 mm, e = 0.5 mm.

Figure 5. Myxicola sp. 2. (a) 1st setiger thoracic chaeta; (b) 4th setiger thoracic chaeta; (c) 24th abdominal chaeta; (d) 4th thoracic uncinus; (e) 24th abdominal uncini, lateral and front view. Scale bar: 0.05 mm.

Figure 6. Myxicola cosentinii. (a) entire worm; (b, c) peristomial ring, ventral and lateral view; (d) complex of ventral and dorsal lips; (e) pygidium; (f) radiolar tip; (g) radiolar eyes. Scale bars: b, c = 2 mm; d, f = 1 mm; e = 0.5 mm; g = 0.1 mm.

Figure 7. Myxicola cosentinii. (a) scheme of radiolar section; (b) 1st setiger thoracic chaeta; (c) 4th setiger thoracic chaeta; (d) 24th abdominal chaeta; (e) 4th setiger thoracic uncinus; (f) 24th abdominal uncini, lateral and front view; Scale bar: b–f = 0.05 mm.

Figure 8. Myxicola giuliae. (a) entire worm; (b, c) peristomial ring, ventral and lateral view; (d) complex of ventral and dorsal lips; (e) pygidium; (f) radiolar tip; (g) scheme of radiolar section. Scale bars: b, c, f = 2 mm; d = 1 mm; e = 0.5 mm.

Figure 9. Myxicola giuliae. (a) 1st setiger thoracic chaeta; (b) 4th setiger thoracic chaeta; (c) 24th abdominal chaeta; (d) 4th setiger thoracic uncinus; (e) 24th abdominal uncini, lateral and front view. Scale bar: 0.05 mm.

Figure 10. Myxicola cataldoi. (a) entire worm; (b, c) peristomial ring, ventral and lateral view; (d) complex of ventral and dorsal lips; (e) pygidium; (f) radiolar tip; (g) scheme of radiolar section. Scale bars: b, d, f = 1 mm; c = 2 mm; e = 0.5 mm.

Figure 11. Myxicola cataldoi. (a) 1st setiger thoracic chaeta; (b) 4th setiger thoracic chaeta; (c). 24th abdominal chaeta; (d) 4th setiger thoracic uncinus; (e) 24th abdominal uncini, lateral and front view. Scale bar: 0.05 mm.

Figure 12. Myxicola mikacae. (a) entire worm; (b–d) peristomial ring: (b) ventral, (c) dorsal and (d) lateral view; (e) complex of ventral and dorsal lips; (f) photo of peristomial ring; (g) radiolar tip; (h) pygidium; (i) scheme of radiolar section. Scale bars: f = 2 mm; g = 1 mm; h = 0.5 mm.

Figure 13. Myxicola mikacae. (a) 1st setiger thoracic chaeta; (b) 4th setiger thoracic chaeta; (c) 24th abdominal chaeta; (d) 4th setiger thoracic uncini; (e) 24th abdominal uncini, lateral and front view. Scale bar: 0.05 mm.

Figure 14. Myxicola pacifica. (a) entire worm; (b, c) peristomial ring, ventral and lateral view; (d) complex of ventral and dorsal lips; (e) radiolar tips; (f) scheme of radiolar section; (g) pygidium. Scale bars: b, c, e = 1 mm; g = 0.5 mm.

Figure 15. Myxicola pacifica. (a) 1st setiger thoracic chaeta; (b) 4th setiger thoracic chaeta; (c) 24th abdominal chaeta.; (d) 4th setiger thoracic uncinus of the original material: syntype MCZ ANNb-1879; (e) 4th setiger thoracic uncinus; (f) 24th abdominal uncinus of the original material: syntype MCZ ANNb-1879; G 24th abdominal uncini, lateral and front view; Scale bar: 0.05 mm.

Table II. Distribution of character in the up to now recognized species of Myxicola genus.

Taxa	Body length (mm)	Thoracic segments	Abdominal segments	Pairs of radioles	Crown/body ratio	Palmate membrane	Eyes	Thoracic uncini	Abdominal uncini
M. aesthetica	40	<6	?	8	?	High	Peristomial, interramal and pygidial	Acicular, without teeth	Avicular, birostrated
M. infundibulum s.s.	250	8	160	37	?	High	Pygidial (?)	Not reported	Not reported
Myxicola sp. 2	89	9	100	23	<1/5	High	?	Acicular, no teeth above the main fang	Avicular, with one or two large teeth above the main fang; breasts longer than main fang
M. cosentinii sp. nov.	35	8	90	20	1/2-1/3	High	Radiolar (distal, numerous), interramal and pygidial.	Acicular, few teeth in the first half of the main fang	Avicular, with two large teeth/one large tooth a smaller tooth on the sides above the main fang; breasts shorter than main fang
M. giuliae sp. nov.	44	8	101	26	1/2-1/3	High	Radiolar (distal, numerous), interramal and pygidial.	Acicular, numerous small teeth in the first half of the main fang	Avicular, with two large teeth/one large tooth flanked or not by smaller teeth above the main fang; breasts longer than main fang
M. cataldoi sp. nov.	66	8	111	26	1/2-1/3	High	Radiolar (sub-distal, one pair), interramal and pygidial.	Acicular, small and adherent teeth in the first half of the main fang	Avicular, with two large teeth (one larger and one smaller)/one large tooth and 2 smaller teeth each side above the main fang; breasts shorter than main fang
M. fauveli	35	8	70	12	?	Low	Radiolar (?)	Acicular, with or without a single, long apical tooth	Acicular
M. nana	3.5	6	30	6	?	Low	Radiolar (sub-distal, paired) and interramal	Acicular, with four rows of teeth dismissing in size	Avicular, with 3–6 large apical teeth
M. ommatophora	43	8	116	24	2/5	High	Radiolar (sub-distal, paired)	Acicular, with very short fang	Avicular, birostrated
M. sulcata	35	8	72	17	1/3	High	Absent (?)	Acicular, with a single, narrow apical tooth	Avicular, with one row of 2 apical teeth
M. violacea	15	8	50	11	1/2	High	Pygidial	Acicular	Avicular, with larger and smaller in size alternated along the tori
M. mikacae sp. nov.	23	8	74	14	>1/2	Low	Absent (?)	Acicular, with a single, long and thin apical tooth	Avicular, with 3 large apical teeth
M. pacifica	32	8	82	28	1/3	High	Interramal and pygidial	Acicular, with a single, very short apical tooth	Avicular, with a long and flat apical tooth, surmounted by a row of small teeth

Figure 16. Comparative table of the main morphological characters of the Myxicola species studied.

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