Revision of the genus Micronereis (Polychaeta: Nereididae: Notophycinae)
Abstract
The genus Quadricirra Banse, 1977 is not recognized, since its principal diagnostic character, the presence of accessory parapodial cirri, is sexually dimorphic and cannot be correlated with other characters; thus Micronereis is the sole genus of the subfamily Notophycinae. A new species, M. piccola, is described and M. siciliensis and M. bodegae are synonymized with M. variegata and M. nanaimoensis respectively. A key to males and descriptions of all species are provided. The Notophycinae appears to be the most derived subfamily of Nereididae, characterized by a combination of epitokal modifications retained from their nereidid relatives and specializations acquired as members of the meiofauna.
