Ymerana pteropoda
Ymerana pteropoda can be up to 5 mm long. It can be found in deep parts of the Norwegian Sea and the Arctic Ocean at depths between 2000 and 4000 meters.
Type locality
Arctic Ocean, North of Svalbard, 81050’N 26034’E, 3270 m.
Key characters
Measurements: Up to 5 mm long.
Number of thoracic chaetigers: 14
Number of thoracic uncinigers: 11
Number of abdominal uncinigers: Unknown, at least more than 7.
Prostomium: Trilobed, middle lobe drawn out into horns; eyespots absent.
Mouth tentacles: Smooth.
Branchiae: Three pairs of branchiae in two widely separated groups; branchiae in each group arranged in triangles.
Paleae: Absent.
Special features: 14th pair of thoracic notopodia achaetous and transformed into dorsolateral fan with pointed wings laterally connected by low ridge across dorsum.
Pygidium: Unknown.
Tube: Unknown.
Distribution
Deep parts of Norwegian Sea and Arctic Ocean; 2000–4000 m.
Similar species
The achaetous 14th pair of thoracic notopodia, which is transformed into a dorsolateral fan with pointed wings, makes it unlikely to confuse adult complete specimens of Ymerana pteropoda with any other Ampharetidae in Norwegian waters.
Sources
Holthe T (1986b). Polychaeta Terebellomorpha from the northern Norwegian Sea and the Polar Sea, with descriptions of Mugga bathyalis sp.n. and Ymerana pteropoda gen. and sp.n. Sarsia 71: 227-234.
Personal observations, Alvestad T.