Lycastonereisindica Rao, 1981.

https://www.marinespecies.org/polychaeta/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=324857.

Rao (1981); Conde-Vela (2019a).

Tentacular cirri three pairs; palpophore surface with a single transverse groove (palpophores well developed) (minimal diagnosis). Neurochaetae dorsal fascicle homogomph falcigers on posterior chaetigers present; maxillary ring paragnaths absent; prostomium anterior margin entire (secondary diagnosis).

Palpophore barrel-shaped, approximately equal width from base to palpostyle (not overly large compared with palpostyle). Palpophore surface with a single transverse groove (palpophores well developed). Prostomium anterior margin entire. Tentacular belt greater than length of chaetiger 1. Tentacular cirri three pairs.

Jaws with dentate cutting edge.

Maxillary ring of pharynx with papillae present. Maxillary ring paragnaths absent. Oral ring papillae present. Oral ring papillae arrangement solitary. Area V papillae absent; VI papillae present; VII-VIII papillae present, arranged in a single row. Oral ring paragnaths absent.

Dorsal notopodial ligule markedly reduced or absent on posterior chaetigers. Prechaetal notopodial lobe present; restricted to a limited number of anterior chaetigers.

Neuropodial prechaetal lobe absent. Neuropodial postchaetal lobe present; not projecting beyond end of the acicular ligule; digitiform. Ventral neuropodial ligule of anterior chaetigers present. Ventral neuropodial ligule of anterior chaetigers approx. as long as acicular neuropodial ligule. Ventral neuropodial ligule on posterior chaetigers present. Ventral neuropodial ligule on posterior chaetigers short, up to half length of acicular neuropodial ligule.

Notoaciculae on chaetigers 1 and 2 absent. Notochaetae: homogomph spinigers present. Neurochaetae dorsal fascicle: heterogomph spinigers absent; homogomph spinigers present; dorsal fascicle heterogomph falcigers in anterior chaetigers absent; on posterior chaetigers absent; dorsal fascicle homogomph falcigers in anterior chaetigers present; on posterior chaetigers present; ventral fascicle heterogomph spinigers absent; homogomph spinigers present; sesquigomph spinigers present. Neurochaetae ventral fascicle: heterogomph falcigers absent; homogomph falcigers in anterior chaetigers present; on posterior chaetigers present.

This easily diagnosed genus from estuaries in India includes a single species. Conde-Vela (2019a) provides a redescription based on non-type material which is topotypic and shares the unusual morphological characters of the original description including the presence of only three pairs of tentacular cirri. Conde-Vela (2019a) also clarified the surname of the author, which is Rao, not ‘Nageswara-Rao’ or ‘Nageswara Rao’ as stated in much of the literature. Although the double surname is a more precise authority name, we follow Conde-Vela (2019a) because Rao appears to be an uncommon name among polychaete taxon authors and thus not easily confused.