Stylised drawings. A, B. Ephesiella australiensis. A. Dorsal tubercles of chaetigers 11-14; B. Parapodial papillae and appendages including ventral cirrus, acicular lobe, papillae and nearby macrotubercle; the concentric circles represent the volume of the parapodium (larger ones indicate basal and smaller distal areas) and the red axis its four sides; C, D. Sphaerodoropsis auranticus n. sp.; C. Dorsal tubercles of chaetigers 11-14, and pigmentation pattern; D. Arrangement of parapodial appendages and papillae; E, F. Sphaerodoropsis plurituberculata n. sp.; E. Dorsal tubercles of chaetigers 11-14; F. Arrangement of parapodial appendages and papillae. 

... Ephesiella is a cosmopolitan genus that requires revision. It currently groups 15 species supposedly sharing the presence of only compound chaetae from chaetiger 2. Nevertheless, some species have been described as bearing semi-compound chaetae (e.g., Moore 1909, and description above), a feature half way to members of Sphaerodorum (with only simple chaetae) and Ephesiopsis (with both simple and compound chaetae in all parapodia). Moreover, several species have been described from a single or few specimens (e.g., Desbruyères 1980;Hartmann-Schröder 1982) and consequently, the intraspecific variation has not been addressed. Most specific diagnostic characters rely on the absence or presence of hooks, the number of prostomial appendages, the number and arrangement of parapodial papillae. The types and specimens examined for this study (cited above) all appear to: i) lack hooks and antenniform papillae; ii) have the median antenna distinctly shorter than other prostomial appendages; iii) have three transverse rows of dorsal papillae per chaetiger; iv) number of parapodial papillae range between 4-7; v) bear compound, or semi-compound, chaetae with short blades (2-3 times longer than wide), most of them provided with a distinct spine on the tip of the shaft (not observed in the types, due to their fragile condition for manipulation). Most specimens examined from other Australian localities do share these morphological traits. However, some specimens showed different chaetal morphology (longer blades and/or distal tooth in shaft absent), or different relative position of the macro and microtubercles . Ephesiella australiensis is represented elsewhere in Queensland, but only reported from Townsville ). Sphaerodoropsis Hartman & Fauchald, 1971 Type-species. Sphaerodorum sphaerulifer Moore, 1909 Diagnosis. Body generally short and ellipsoid, some forms slender. Four or more dorsal longitudinal rows of macrotubercles, in one or several transverse rows per segment. Macrotubercles sessile and smooth, without terminal papillae. Microtubercles absent. Papillae over body surface and parapodia. Head appendages short, spherical or digitiform. Parapodia with compound chaetae; hooks absent. Sphaerodoropsis aurantica n. sp. (Figs 2C, D, 3 Diagnosis. Body ellipsoid, with strongly convex dorsum. Nine longitudinal rows of sessile and spherical dorsal macrotubercles, arranged in a single transverse row per segment row and four transverse rows (with up to 38) of spherical papillae per segment. Parapodia with digitiform acicular lobe, shorter ventral cirrus and around 10 spherical papillae. Over 10 compound chaetae per parapodium with thin shafts, long blades (6-8 times longer than its maximum width), with fine and short spinulation along superior edge and a distal recurved ...

... Male holotype. Body more or less ellipsoid, anterior end bluntly rounded and posterior end tapering (Figs 4A-D, 5A-B), measuring 1.5 mm long, 0.5 mm wide, with 18 chaetigers. Strongly convex dorsum and flat ventrum; segmentation inconspicuous (Figs 4A-D, 5A-B). Live colour transparent with brown gut, milky white coelom; dark brown after preservation. Bright orange subdermal eyes (Fig. 4A-D). Tegument with microscopic oblong granules. Head externally indistinct (Fig. 5A-C). Prostomium with five appendages; a pair of ventral-most palps, digitiform and about three times as long as wide; a pair of lateral antennae similar in shape and size to palp; and a spherical median antenna (Figs 4A-D, 5A). Around 10 small and spherical papillae confined by these appendages. A pair of tentacular cirri, shorter than palps and lateral antennae. Body surface covered in tubercles of two different sizes arranged in more or less 16-18 longitudinal rows in mid-body, four rows per segment, adding a total of around 30 in mid-chaetigers ( Figs 2E, 4A-D, 5B). Microtubercles absent. Ventrum with papillae similar in shape and size to dorsal, arranged in about 10 longitudinal rows, four transverse rows per segment and a total of about 20 papillae per chaetiger in mid-body (Fig. 5A). Ventral papillae containing different type of granules (Fig. 4E). Parapodial sub-conical, increasing in size towards chaetiger 3 and decreasing in last three chaetigers, as long as wide in mid-chaetigers ( Fig. 5A-E, G). Acicular lobe, digitiform, three times longer than wide, similar in shape as size as ventral cirrus (Fig. 5D-E). Parapodia lacking parapodial papillae; but one spherical papilla located close to anterior base of each parapodia (Figs 2F, 5D). Bottle-shaped copulatory organ present in chaetiger 6 ventral to each parapodia, which lack ventral cirri ( Figs 4D, 5A, 6A), suggesting these structures are transformed ventral cirri. Usually six chaetae arranged in a more or less curved transverse line behind the acicular lobe (Fig. 5D-E). Hooks in anterior segments not observed. All chaetae simple (Fig. 5F), appearing semi-compound in some cases, denoting that shaft and blade have probably fused. Distal end enlarged, three times longer than wide, with spinulation in cutting edge and a conspicuous distal projection (Fig. 5F), similar along body and within fascicles. Chaetae showing a thin groove running parallel to edge, in distal end. Pygidium terminal, with inconspicuous spherical single anal cirrus (Fig. 5G). Brown gut seen by transparency, coiled in some parts (Fig. 4A-D) without a distinct muscular ...

... Male holotype. Body more or less ellipsoid, anterior end bluntly rounded and posterior end tapering (Figs 4A-D, 5A-B), measuring 1.5 mm long, 0.5 mm wide, with 18 chaetigers. Strongly convex dorsum and flat ventrum; segmentation inconspicuous (Figs 4A-D, 5A-B). Live colour transparent with brown gut, milky white coelom; dark brown after preservation. Bright orange subdermal eyes (Fig. 4A-D). Tegument with microscopic oblong granules. Head externally indistinct (Fig. 5A-C). Prostomium with five appendages; a pair of ventral-most palps, digitiform and about three times as long as wide; a pair of lateral antennae similar in shape and size to palp; and a spherical median antenna (Figs 4A-D, 5A). Around 10 small and spherical papillae confined by these appendages. A pair of tentacular cirri, shorter than palps and lateral antennae. Body surface covered in tubercles of two different sizes arranged in more or less 16-18 longitudinal rows in mid-body, four rows per segment, adding a total of around 30 in mid-chaetigers ( Figs 2E, 4A-D, 5B). Microtubercles absent. Ventrum with papillae similar in shape and size to dorsal, arranged in about 10 longitudinal rows, four transverse rows per segment and a total of about 20 papillae per chaetiger in mid-body (Fig. 5A). Ventral papillae containing different type of granules (Fig. 4E). Parapodial sub-conical, increasing in size towards chaetiger 3 and decreasing in last three chaetigers, as long as wide in mid-chaetigers ( Fig. 5A-E, G). Acicular lobe, digitiform, three times longer than wide, similar in shape as size as ventral cirrus (Fig. 5D-E). Parapodia lacking parapodial papillae; but one spherical papilla located close to anterior base of each parapodia (Figs 2F, 5D). Bottle-shaped copulatory organ present in chaetiger 6 ventral to each parapodia, which lack ventral cirri ( Figs 4D, 5A, 6A), suggesting these structures are transformed ventral cirri. Usually six chaetae arranged in a more or less curved transverse line behind the acicular lobe (Fig. 5D-E). Hooks in anterior segments not observed. All chaetae simple (Fig. 5F), appearing semi-compound in some cases, denoting that shaft and blade have probably fused. Distal end enlarged, three times longer than wide, with spinulation in cutting edge and a conspicuous distal projection (Fig. 5F), similar along body and within fascicles. Chaetae showing a thin groove running parallel to edge, in distal end. Pygidium terminal, with inconspicuous spherical single anal cirrus (Fig. 5G). Brown gut seen by transparency, coiled in some parts (Fig. 4A-D) without a distinct muscular ...

... Holotype 1.8 mm long after fixation, 0.6 mm maximum width; with 20 chaetigers. Body ellipsoid ( Fig. 3A-B); with convex dorsum and flattened ventrum. Tegument with transverse wrinkles, segmentation inconspicuous ( Fig. 3A-B). Head externally indistinct (Fig. 3A-C). Anterior end bluntly rounded (Fig. 3B-C). Prostomium with five appendages, including a pair of palps, in ventral most position, sub-conical and slightly wrinkled; a pair of lateral antennae, similar in shape and size to palps; and a median antenna, shorter (two thirds) and wider than lateral antennae and with a rounded distal end (Fig. 3B-C). Antenniform papillae cannot be unequivocally recognised (Fig. 3C). Around 30 digitiform small papillae confined by prostomial appendages and mouth in frontal view (Fig. 3C). A pair of tentacular cirri, similar in shape and size to lateral antennae and palps, and several scattered papillae similar to prostomial. Macrotubercles, sessile, rounded or provided with an incipient rounded terminal papillae (Fig. 3B, G-H), arranged in longitudinal rows along dorsum, and single transversal rows per segment. First and following chaetigers with nine macrotubercles, decreasing to eight in posterior chaetigers. Macrotubercles with two different sizes, following pattern in Fig. 2C; provided with pores arranged on groups (Fig. 3G-H), some of them with incipient terminal papillae or at least pear-shaped (Fig. 3H). Spherical papillae over dorsum, arranged in four transverse rows per segment; digitiform in anterior-most chaetigers and spherical in following (Fig. 3C-D). Ventral surface with similar spherical papillae, arranged in about 5-6 irregular transverse rows, with a total of around 50 papillae per segment, in mid-body (Fig. 3B). Parapodia sub-conical, increasing in size towards chaetiger 5 and around 1-2 times longer than wide, wrinkled (Fig. 3C-D). Acicular lobe anterior to chaetal fascicle, projecting distally ( Fig. 3D-E, J). Ventral cirri sub-conical to pear-shaped, shorter than acicular lobe ( Fig. 3D-E, J). Mid-body parapodia with around 10 small spherical papillae, slightly different in size: one or two on dorsal surface, three on anterior surface, three on ventral surface and three on posterior surface (Fig. 2D). Compound chaetae present in all chaetigers, arranged in a curved transverse fascicle around acicular lobe and numbering 10-22 per parapodium. Shaft with similar width all along, slightly widened distal end with delicate almost inconspicuous spinulation. Blades similar in length within fascicles (6-8 times longer than its maximum width), with fine and short spinulation along superior edge and a distal recurved tip (Fig. 3J-L). Pygidium terminal, with mid-ventral digitiform anal cirrus and a pair of dorsal anal cirri, similar in shape to macrotubercles (Fig. 3F). Mouth located ventrally near base of palps (Fig. 3C). Gut visible by transparency with muscular pharynx occupying about four segments. Eyes and copulatory organs or gametes not ...

... Holotype 1.8 mm long after fixation, 0.6 mm maximum width; with 20 chaetigers. Body ellipsoid ( Fig. 3A-B); with convex dorsum and flattened ventrum. Tegument with transverse wrinkles, segmentation inconspicuous ( Fig. 3A-B). Head externally indistinct (Fig. 3A-C). Anterior end bluntly rounded (Fig. 3B-C). Prostomium with five appendages, including a pair of palps, in ventral most position, sub-conical and slightly wrinkled; a pair of lateral antennae, similar in shape and size to palps; and a median antenna, shorter (two thirds) and wider than lateral antennae and with a rounded distal end (Fig. 3B-C). Antenniform papillae cannot be unequivocally recognised (Fig. 3C). Around 30 digitiform small papillae confined by prostomial appendages and mouth in frontal view (Fig. 3C). A pair of tentacular cirri, similar in shape and size to lateral antennae and palps, and several scattered papillae similar to prostomial. Macrotubercles, sessile, rounded or provided with an incipient rounded terminal papillae (Fig. 3B, G-H), arranged in longitudinal rows along dorsum, and single transversal rows per segment. First and following chaetigers with nine macrotubercles, decreasing to eight in posterior chaetigers. Macrotubercles with two different sizes, following pattern in Fig. 2C; provided with pores arranged on groups (Fig. 3G-H), some of them with incipient terminal papillae or at least pear-shaped (Fig. 3H). Spherical papillae over dorsum, arranged in four transverse rows per segment; digitiform in anterior-most chaetigers and spherical in following (Fig. 3C-D). Ventral surface with similar spherical papillae, arranged in about 5-6 irregular transverse rows, with a total of around 50 papillae per segment, in mid-body (Fig. 3B). Parapodia sub-conical, increasing in size towards chaetiger 5 and around 1-2 times longer than wide, wrinkled (Fig. 3C-D). Acicular lobe anterior to chaetal fascicle, projecting distally ( Fig. 3D-E, J). Ventral cirri sub-conical to pear-shaped, shorter than acicular lobe ( Fig. 3D-E, J). Mid-body parapodia with around 10 small spherical papillae, slightly different in size: one or two on dorsal surface, three on anterior surface, three on ventral surface and three on posterior surface (Fig. 2D). Compound chaetae present in all chaetigers, arranged in a curved transverse fascicle around acicular lobe and numbering 10-22 per parapodium. Shaft with similar width all along, slightly widened distal end with delicate almost inconspicuous spinulation. Blades similar in length within fascicles (6-8 times longer than its maximum width), with fine and short spinulation along superior edge and a distal recurved tip (Fig. 3J-L). Pygidium terminal, with mid-ventral digitiform anal cirrus and a pair of dorsal anal cirri, similar in shape to macrotubercles (Fig. 3F). Mouth located ventrally near base of palps (Fig. 3C). Gut visible by transparency with muscular pharynx occupying about four segments. Eyes and copulatory organs or gametes not ...

... plurituberculata n. sp. (Figs 2E, F, 4, 5, ...