''Australaugeneria'' is a genus of marine

annelid The annelids (), also known as the segmented worms, are animals that comprise the phylum Annelida (; ). The phylum contains over 22,000 extant species, including ragworms, earthworms, and leeches. The species exist in and have adapted to vario ...

s in the family

Polynoidae Polynoidae is a family (biology), family of marine Polychaete worms known as "scale worms" due to the scale-like elytron (Annelida), elytra on the dorsal surface. Almost 900 species are currently recognised belonging to 9 subfamilies and 167 gen ...

(scale worms). The genus includes 4 species which are commensal on octocorals.

Description

Elytra An elytron (; ; : elytra, ) is a modified, hardened forewing of beetles (Coleoptera), though a few of the true bugs (Hemiptera) such as the family Schizopteridae are extremely similar; in true bugs, the forewings are called hemelytra (sometime ...

15 pairs, 36–40 segments. Lateral antennae inserted ventrally (beneath

prostomium The prostomium (From Ancient Greek, meaning "before the mouth"; : prostomia; sometimes also called the "acron") is the Cephalization, cephalized first body segment in an annelid worm's body at the anterior end. It is in front of (but does not in ...

and median antenna).

Neuropodia In invertebrates, the term parapodium ( Gr. ''para'', beyond or beside + ''podia'', feet; : parapodia) refers to lateral outgrowths or protrusions from the body. Parapodia are predominantly found in annelids, where they are paired, unjointed late ...

deeply incised vertically, so that the

neurochaetae A chaeta or cheta (; ) is a chitinous bristle or seta found on annelid worms, although the term is also frequently used to describe similar structures in other invertebrates such as arthropods. Polychaete annelids (''polychaeta'' literally mean ...

emerge from a prominent division between the pre-chaetal (= acicular) lobe and the post-chaetal lobe.

Notochaetae A chaeta or cheta (; ) is a chitinous bristle or seta found on annelid worms, although the term is also frequently used to describe similar structures in other invertebrates such as arthropods. Polychaete annelids (''polychaeta'' literally mean ...

present, hooked neurochaetae in anterior-most segments, bidentate neurochaetae absent (summarised from detailed diagnosis of Ravara & Cunha, 2016).Ravara, Ascensão; Cunha, Marina R. (2016). Two new species of scale worms (Polychaeta: Aphroditiformia) from deep-sea habitats in the Gulf of Cadiz (NE Atlantic). Zootaxa. 4097(3): 442–450

Ecology

All known species of ''Australaugeneria'' appear to be commensals on alcyonacean or gorgonian corals.

Species

Four species of ''Australaugeneria'' are accepted as valid as of June 2020: *'' Australaugeneria iberica'' Ravara & Cunha, 2016 *'' Australaugeneria michaelseni'' Pettibone, 1969 *'' Australaugeneria pottsi'' Pettibone, 1969 *''

Australaugeneria rutilans ''Australaugeneria rutilans'' is a scale worm known from northern Australia, south-east Asia and the Persian Gulf, from depths of 28m or less. Description Number of segments 40; elytra 15 pairs. Clear, white no pigments other than black eyes. L ...

'' (Grube, 1878)

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3921403 Phyllodocida Polychaete genera