Qiu, Jian-Wen; Qian, Pei-Yuan. (2000). Revision of the genus Leonnates Kinberg, 1866 (Polychaeta: Nereididae), with descriptions and comments on other species described in Leonnates. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 113(4): 1111-1146.
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Qiu, Jian-Wen; Qian, Pei-Yuan
2000
Revision of the genus <i>Leonnates</i> Kinberg, 1866 (Polychaeta: Nereididae), with descriptions and comments on other species described in <i>Leonnates</i>
Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington
The genus Leonnates Kinberg, 1866 (Polychaeta: Nereididae) is characterized by the presence of both papillae and paragnaths on the pharynx, and either only spinigers or spinigers and falcigers on the notopodia. Although the identity of several Leonnates species is in doubt, no systematic revision of the genus has been undertaken. In this study, we examine the validity of the following species that have been described as Leonnates or are related to Leonnates: L. indicus Kinberg, 1866, L. virgatus Grube, 1873, L. pusillus Langerhans, 1880, L. jousseaumei Gravier, 1899, Australonereis ehlersi (Augener, 1913), L. niestraszi Horst, 1924, L. decipiens Fauvel, 1929, L. insolitus Gravier & Dantan, 1934, L. simplex Monro, 1939, L. persicus Wesenberg-Lund, 1949, Paraleonnates uschakovi Chlebovitsch & Wu, 1962, L. decipiens var. manilensis Pillai, 1965, L. stephensoni Rullier, 1965, Websterinereis glauca Pettibone, 1971, L. nipponicus Imajima, 1972, L. crinitus Hutchings & Reid, 1991, and L. bolus Hutchings & Reid, 1991. Our examination of available type specimens and additional material shows that L. virgatus and L. jousseaumei are conspecific with L. indicus; L. decipiens var. manilensis is conspecific with L. decipiens; Leonnates bolus belongs to Paraleonnates; Leonnates niestraszi, and L. insolitus, described from heteronereidid specimens, can not be fully characterized. Leonnates nipponicus was not available for examination; its original description indicates a distinct difference from L. indicus. Characters of A. ehlersi, originally described in the subgenus Leonnates in Nereis, are discussed. Leonnates pusillus is indeterminable to genus. Some specimens originally identified as L. jousseaumei are heteronereidids of Perinereis. Descriptions of Leonnates and related species and a key to atokous Leonnates species are provided.
