Perinereis nuntia

Perinereis nuntia (Lamarck, 1818) (Figure 2) Synonyms 1983. Perinereis nuntia: Misra and Chakraborty, Records of the Zoological Survey of India., 81: 71. 1993. Perinereis nuntia: Wilson and Glasby, Records of the Australian Museum., 43: 266, Figs. 11a–g. (A) Material examined: 21 specimens; Total Length (TL): 41.63–65.70mm; Body Width (BW): 1.89–2.0mm; coll. P.C. Tudu & J. Pradhan. Diagnosis: Body elongated, rounded, or somewhat flattened.Body colour is dusky brown in live specimens and white in alcohol preservation (Figure 2A). Prostomium with two pair of eyes and red-black with opaque lenses and anal cirri (Figures 2B and C). Jaws present (Figure 2D). Number of setigers 69–79, setigers fascicle (Figure 2 E-G) and maximum length: 41.63–65.70mm and width: 1.89–2.0mm. Setae compound, spinigerous, and falcigerous. The prostomium is half as long as the wide; the antennae three quarters as long as the prostomium. Paragnaths of Group VI are transverse, ridge-shaped, or a transverse row of more or less flattened denticles. Jaws dark-brown. Proboscis is armed with a pair of horny jaws and, generally, a series of horny teeth or paragnaths, which are arranged in eight groups. Proboscis: Group I=1-3; II and IV=crescentic and triangular clusters; III= a rectangular patch with 2-3 denticless. On each side; V=3, set in a triangle; VI= on each side transverse row of 8–9 conical (Figure 2H). Tentacular cirri reaching to the 5 th- 8 th segment. Dorsal cirri short and variable length. Dorsal ligules are blunt and similar in size, not elongated in all parapodia; notopodialprechetal and neuropodialpostchetal lobes are not developed and conical in posterior feet. Neuropodial heterogomphspinigers are present throughout. Habitat: The specimens were found in the sand under rocks in the upper intertidal region of the rocky shore. Generally, this species inhabits the estuarine waters or seawaters with limited freshwater input (Glasby and Hsieh, 2006). Distribution: In India: Gulf of Mannar, Tuticorin, Cape Comorin, Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Soota and Rao, 1997), Paradeep, Odisha (Ingole, 2007), Okha, Gujarat and Bombay coast, Maharashtra (Misra and Chakraborty, 1983). Elsewhere: Australia (Wilson and Glasby, 1993), Japan. New Zealand, New Caledonia, Malay Archipelago, Indian Ocean, Saint Paul Island, and Red Sea (Fauvel, 1953).