Laonice foliata (Moore, 1923)

Prostomium blunt, anteriorly truncate or rounded (T-shaped), anterior margin with entire anterior margin. Caruncle present, continuing back to chaetiger 2 (a gradually narrowing ridge-like longitudinal limb). Occipital antenna present. Nuchal organ short, at most one segment long. Palps simple, lacking basal sheath. Dorsal ridge connecting bases of branchiae on chaetiger 1 absent. Prominent dorsal collar on setiger 2 absent. Dorsal branchiae present, first present on chaetiger 3. Dorsal branchiae absent from many median and posterior chaetigers, last present on chaetiger 43–51. First branchiae without process at base on anterior face. Dorsal branchiae longest on median chaetigers, decreasing in length anteriorly and posteriorly. Accessory branchiae arising from posterior part of notopodium absent. Ventral branchiae absent. Chaetiger 3 without filament at base of branchiae. Dorsal crests present. Ventral crests absent. Chaetiger 1 notopodium present. Anterior setigers with 2 rows of chaetae. Neuropodial lobe of chaetiger 2 rounded, approximately symmetrical. Neuropodial lobes of posterior chaetigers a single lobe. Interparapodial pouches present. Interparapodial pouches on chaetigers 29–37 (starting between these chaetigers). Chaetigers 2–4 similar, not strongly differentiated. Chaetiger 5 unmodified, similar to subsequent chaetigers. Posterior modified notochaetae absent. Neurochaetae of chaetiger 1 simple capillaries similar to those of subsequent chaetigers. Neuropodial hooded hooks present, first present on chaetiger 44–52 (immediately succeeding the branchial region; 2–10 per fascicle). Neuropodial hooded hooks with accessory tooth or teeth above the main fang. Shaft of neuropodial hooded hooks of constant thickness, lacking a constriction. Neuropodial spines absent. Embedded bunches of notopodial needle chaetae absent. Pygidium bears 12 small marginal cirri.

Description generated from: Wilson, RS & McDiarmid, H 2013. Spionidae (Polychaeta)- A DELTA database of genera, and Australian species. Version 2; originally published as In RS Wilson, PA Hutchings & CJ Glasby (eds) Polychaetes: An Interactive Identification Guide. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.

Additional references:
Moore, J.P. 1923. The polychaetous annelids dredged by the U.S.S. Albatross off the coast of southern California in 1904. IV. Spionidae to Sabellariidae. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 75: 179-259.