Tubulophilinopsis reticulata

Order : CEPHALASPIDEA
Superfamily : PHILINOIDEA
Family : Aglajidae
Genus : Tubulophilinopsis
Species : Tubulophilinopsis reticulata

DISTRIBUTION
Tropical Indo-west Pacific. (Known only from East Africa – reported in Forum from Indonesia, Australia, New Caledonia).
Before known as Philinopsis reticulata.

This species was described by Eliot (1903) from Wasin Is, off Kenya and has not been reported since. Bill Rudman found specimens in Tanzania in the 1970s. The body colour ranges from white to dull yellow and there is a reticulate pattern of brown to black all over the body, including the sole of the foot. There are blue markings on the inside edge of the anterior part of the parapodia and along the outer edge of the parapodia.

Another important character is the shape of the head, with a high median ridge, clearly seen in the picture. This is an outward indication that this species is one of the group of Tubulophilinopsis with a very long narrow pharynx, as discussed under Tubulophilinopsis gardineri. Eliot describes this as “pharynx of moderate size, 1.5 mm wide” which means little until it is compared with his description of the foregut of a similarly sized specimen of Tubulohilinopsis cyanea – “pharynx is colossal … breadth 15mm” – a description of the large buccal bulb, typical of most members of the genus.