Serpula vossae

Description. Tube color brownish, or light brown to white; with 6 - 8 longitudinal ridges, all similar in size; some tubes with shallow transverse ridges, forming a rugged surface, other tubes lacking transverse ridges; most tubes lacking peristomes, two have only one peristome with appearance of a groove with shallow growth lines. Tubes lacking alveoli (Fig. 4 A, C-D). Body pale yellow (preserved material only, Fig. 4 B). TL = 38.5 mm (n = 7, r: 20 - 45.5, µ = 36.6 + / - 10.3); THW = 2 mm (n = 7, r: 1.5 - 3.4, µ = 2.3 + / - 0.6). Branchial crown with 29 radioles (n = 7, r: 19 - 37, µ = 30.9 + / - 6.4) left, and 29 right (n = 7, r: 12 - 35, µ = 30.9 + / - 8.8); lacking branchial membrane (Fig. 4 E). Peduncle smooth with insertion on left (n = 2) or right (n = 5); with shallow (n = 4) to well-defined constriction (n = 3) (Figs 3 A, C, 4 H-J). Pseudoperculum club-shaped, present in all specimens. Operculum with long, deep symmetrical funnel; with a slightly bulbous basal part above constriction (Figs 3 A, C, 4 H-J). OL = 3.2 mm (n = 7, r: 2 - 4.5, µ = 3.3 + / - 0.8), OD = 2 mm (n = 7, r: 1.4 - 2.8, µ = 2.3 + / - 0.5). Interradial grooves 2 / 3 of funnel length. Funnel with 21 radii (n = 7, r: 21 - 33, µ = 27.4 + / - 3.7) with rounded tips (Figs 3 A, C, 4 H-J). Opercular inner surface lacking tubercles (Fig. 3 A-D). Collar thick, with short ventral and dorsal lobes. Thorax consists of seven chaetigers. Collar fascicles in three specimens asymmetrical with regard to sizes and number of chaetae; right fascicle with larger and more chaetae than left fascicle (Fig. 4 E). Bayonet chaetae with two blunt-elongate teeth, distal blade smooth, lacking proximal rasp (Fig. 4 G); hooded (capillary) chaetae present. Thoracic membranes well developed, narrowing toward last thoracic chaetigers, fused ventrally, forming a short apron. Remaining six thoracic chaetigers with hooded (limbate) chaetae of two sizes; saw-shaped uncini. Anterior part of abdomen lacks a distinct achaetous region. Anterior and middle abdominal chaetigers with flat-trumpet chaetae. Posterior chaetigers with ' capillary' chaetae. Anterior and posterior uncini saw-shaped.

Distribution. Tropical Caribbean. Bahamas, Cuba, Mexican Caribbean, Guatemala and Honduran Caribbean (Fig. 6).

Etymology. Named after Professor Nancy Voss, a distinguished cephalopod specialist and Director of the Marine Invertebrate Museum, who generously loaned the serpulid samples from the oceanographic expeditions of the University of Miami.