| Dipolydora dorsomaculata (Rainer, 1973). Family Spionidae | ||||
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Dipolydora dorsomaculata figure [Click photo for picture page] 
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| Identification tips: | Morphology unremarkable, but chaetiger 5 falcate spines lack a tooth or flange. Distinctive colour pattern(s) absent. | |||
| Habitat: | Inshore marine embayment. Known from mollusc shell. In bivalves. In self-created shell-borings (unconfirmed). Recorded from living shells of New Zealand commercial shellfish: Ostrea chilensis. Occurrences in empty/dead shell also never reported. | |||
| Nomenclature: | Genus Dipolydora in Family Spionidae. Dipolydora dorsomaculata. Described by Rainer, published in 1973, as Polydora dorsomaculata. Type locality: New Zealand, Otago Harbour. Other synonyms: [Blake & Kudenov, 1978 treated as Polydora flava]. | |||
| Description: | Head region: Prostomium tip notched. Occipital antenna absent. Caruncle extends to anterior chaetiger 5; separate mid-dorsal organ absent. Colouration: Eyes present, two pairs. Dorsal pigmentation pattern present; dark anterior dorsal pigmentation present. Dark anterior pigmentation on some anterior chaetigers (as spots of pigment anterior and anteromedial to branchiae of chaetigers 10-25). Palp banding absent. White mid-body or posterior dorsal pigmentation absent. Branchiae, chaetae, and pygidium: Branchiae adjoining parapodia 7 and following; longest branchiae on chaetiger 7 (and following); near body end branchiae absent; end at 35. Anterior gut gizzard-like structure absent. Hooded hooks begin chaetiger 7; bifid, hook shaft constriction (manubrium) absent, anterior hooded hook main fang more or less oriented apically with narrow angle with apical tooth. Alternating capillaries adjacent hooded hooks absent; neurochaetal inferior chaetae below hooded hooks present. Chaetiger one notochaetae present; notopodial lobe present. Chaetae of chaetiger 5 'upper' (or 'posterior') row weakly falcate with subterminal swelling, 'lower' (or 'anterior') row are hastate tipped 'companion' chaetae. Superior notochaetae of chaetiger 5 present. Inferior neurochaetae of chaetiger 5 present. Posterior notochaetal spines present (as embedded group); mostly acicular. Pygidium thickened plug-like disc with dorsal notch. Pygidium small, not extending wider than last chaetigers. | |||
| Dimensions: | Length 7 mm. Width 0.4 mm. Segment total 68. Small species. | |||
| Reproduction: | Active planktonic dispersal unstated. Reproductive period unknown. | |||
| Distribution: | Occurs only in New Zealand. Not known to be invasive or anthropochoric. Global distribution includes New Zealand mainland.. | |||
| Remarks: | Related or same as D. flava. In life the 2 lobes of the prostomium tip are sharp-pointed and independently actively mobile. | |||
| Biology: | Little is known about Dipolydora dorsomaculata as it is relatively uncommon. Similarly the related D. flava is little-known apart from taxonomic records. Feeding group: Surface deposit/filter-feeding. | |||
| Best References: | Biology: Read (1975) Systematics and biology of polydorid species (Polychaeta: Spionidae) from Wellington Harbour.. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 5:395-419 Taxonomy: Rainer (1973) Polydora and related genera (Polychaeta: Spionidae) from Otago waters. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 3:545-564. | |||
| More information: |
Synonyms, NZ records | Original figures | Original description details | |
| Genus diagnosis | More pictures | Further references (biology, etc) | Family Spionidae | |
| Internet sources: |
GOOGLE Search | AlltheWeb Search | CISTI | CBIF BiOSC Gateway | GOBASE Molecular | GenBank | Genus only in GenBank | | |||
| Genus only in Ubio Taxonomic Name Server | PubMed | Scirus | Zoological Record | | ||||
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