| Dipolydora giardi (Mesnil, 1896). Family Spionidae | ||||
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Dipolydora giardi figure [Click photo for picture page] 
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| Identification tips: | Branchiae not present until chaetiger 9-10, plug-like, incised pygidium. Distinctive colour pattern(s) absent. | |||
| Habitat: | Inshore marine embayment. Known from mollusc shell. In abandoned shell-borings, or in shell crevices. Recorded from living shells of New Zealand commercial shellfish: Atrina pectinata, Ostrea chilensis, Perna canaliculus. Occurrences in empty/dead shell also never reported. | |||
| Nomenclature: | Genus Dipolydora in Family Spionidae. Dipolydora giardi [NZ]. Described by Mesnil, published in 1896, as Polydora giardi. Type locality: France. Other synonyms: none recorded | |||
| Description: | Head region: Prostomium tip pronounced notch. Occipital antenna absent. Caruncle extends to anterior chaetiger 4; separate mid-dorsal organ absent. Colouration: Eyes absent. Dorsal pigmentation pattern absent (although Rainer (1973) reports some small black pigment spots). Palp banding absent. White mid-body or posterior dorsal pigmentation absent. Branchiae, chaetae, and pygidium: Branchiae adjoining parapodia 9 or later and following (9 Otago, 10 Wellington); longest branchiae on chaetiger 10 or later (chaetiger 12); near body end branchiae absent; end at 30. 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 (from about 7-12, and last 15 (fide Rainer)). Chaetiger one notochaetae present; notopodial lobe present. Chaetae of chaetiger 5 'upper' (or 'posterior') row falcate with subterminal flange as a lateral tooth, 'lower' (or 'anterior') row are hastate tipped 'companion' chaetae. Superior notochaetae of chaetiger 5 present. Posterior notochaetal spines absent. Pygidium plug-like but incised into four. | |||
| Dimensions: | Length 17 mm. Width 0.4 mm. Segment total 100. Slim small species. | |||
| Reproduction: | Active planktonic dispersal unstated. | |||
| Distribution: | World distribution includes New Zealand and elsewhere. Global distribution includes New Zealand mainland, Australia, within south east coast and Tasmanian zone, Atlantic European coasts.. | |||
| Remarks: | Probably introduced to New Zealand waters (Otago and Wellington harbours), but not yet found in abundance. | |||
| Biology: | Little is known about Dipolydora giardi as it is relatively uncommon in New Zealand. Feeding group: Surface deposit/filter-feeding. | |||
| Best References: | Biology: Day and Blake (1979) Reproduction and larval development of Polydora giardi Mesnil (Polychaeta: Spionidae).. Biological Bulletin 156:20-30 Taxonomy: Read (1975) Systematics and biology of polydorid species (Polychaeta: Spionidae) from Wellington Harbour. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 5:395-419. | |||
| 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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