Laonice sp. MoV 5772  

Prostomium blunt, anteriorly truncate or rounded, anterior margin with entire anterior margin. Lateral horns absent. Caruncle present, continuing back to chaetiger 1 (caruncle to end of chaetiger 1, continues past the occiptial antenna). Occipital antenna present. Nuchal organ long, extending back more than one segment, extending posteriorly to chaetiger 2 (nuchal organ to chaetiger 2). Eyes present, or absent (1 specimen has large, dark eyes, the other specimen potentially has very small pale eyes). Palps simple, lacking basal sheath. There is a faint dorsal posterior ridge to at least the 5th chaetiger, at which point the dorsum of the specimen is disintegrated. Dorsal ridge connecting bases of branchiae on chaetiger 1 absent. Prominent dorsal collar on setiger 2 absent. Dorsal branchiae present, first present on chaetiger 2. Dorsal branchiae present on all 22 setigers of fragment. Dorsal branchiae continuous. Dorsal branchiae free and separate from notopodial lamellae throughout, all simple. First branchiae without process at base on anterior face. Accessory branchiae arising from posterior part of notopodium absent. Ventral branchiae absent. Chaetiger 3 without filament at base of branchiae. Dorsal crests absent (although only 22 segments in fragment). Ventral crests absent. Chaetiger 1 notopodium present. Chaetiger 1 notochaetae 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 absent. 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 sabre chaetae present, in ventral-most positions, first on chaetiger(s) 10. Neuropodial spines absent. Embedded bunches of notopodial needle chaetae absent. Pygidium unknown.

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.