Holotype of Leptonereis foli (MNHN-685), Île des Pins, New Caledonia, 1 Jan. 1928, leg. Mme A. Pruvot-Fol.

Holotype incomplete, in two fragments; anterior fragment 15 mm long, 1.1 mm wide including parapodia at chaetiger 10, with 54 chaetigers; medial region fragment 2.5 mm long, 0.7 mm wide including parapodia, with 8 chaetigers.

Pigmentation blackish; prostomium with longitudinal narrow band throughout its length, leaving thin pale mid-dorsal line, pale subtriangular area around the anterior eyes, and pale semicircular area around posterior eyes; palpophores pale; tentacular segment with solid blackish dorsal pigmentation, laterally pale, reduced to wide dorsal longitudinal band on first chaetiger.

Prostomium subpentagonal, longer than wide, with slight depression along anterior half. Two pairs of black eyes, distal ones reniform larger than proximal ones which are rounded and show lenses. Antennae tapered, not reaching tips of palpostyles; palps globose, palpostyles conical; both antennae and palps directed ventrally as result of an artifact of fxation. One apodous anterior segment, shorter than first chaetiger. Tentacular cirri short, tapered, longest pair reaching chaetiger one (Fig. 4 A–B).

Pharynx with single jaw (left one lost), thin, with seven well-developed teeth. Maxillary ring without paragnaths or papillae; oral ring with triangular papillae on area VI, area V lacking papillae, areas VII–VIII, with seven rounded papillae.

Parapodia of first two chaetigers, uniramous, thereafter biramous. Anterior notopodia with triangular dorsal and ventral ligules, with thin notopodial prechaetal lobe inserted at base of notopodial ventral ligule; neuropodial postchaetal lobes subtriangular, superior and inferior lobes absent, neuropodial ventral ligules subconical. Dorsal cirri inserted basally, longer than ventral cirri. With large glandular area on notopodia, and smaller one on base of neuropodial ventral ligule (Fig. 4C). Median parapodia with subulate dorsal ligules, prechaetal lobes reduced to small rounded protuberances, ventral ligules triangular; neuropodial postchaetal lobes subconical, ventral ligules subtriangular. Dorsal cirri longer than ventrals, both inserted basally. Glandular area present in supra-acicular region (Fig. 4D). Posterior parapodia with triangular dorsal ligules, notopodial prechaetal lobes absent, ventral ligules triangular; neuropodial postchaetal lobes broad, wider than long, ventral ligules subtriangular. Dorsal and ventral cirri subequal (Fig. 4E).

Anterior parapodia with four homogomph spinigers in supra-acicular notochaetae; supra-acicular neurochaetae include three homogomph spinigers and two heterogomph falcigers with thick handle and short triangular blades (Fig. 4F); infra-acicular neurochaetae seven heterogomph falcigers with blades diminishing gradually ventrally (Fig. 4G). Median parapodia with three homogomph spinigers in supra-acicular notochaetae; supra-acicular neurochaetae three homogomph spinigers and two heterogomph falcigers with thick handle and oval blades (Fig. 4H); infra-acicular neurochaetae seven heterogomph falcigers with thin handles and triangular blades (Fig. 4I). Posterior parapodia with five homogomph spinigers in supra-acicular notochaetae; supra-acicular neurochaetae include two homogomph spinigers and one heterogomph falciger (Fig. 4J); infra-acicular neurochaetae six heterogomph falcigers (Fig. 4K). Pygidium unknown.

After reviewing the holotype of Websterinereis foli some differences were noted from the description by Pettibone (1971). In her description of Websterinereis foli Pettibone combined her observations of the holotype of Leptonereis foli Fauvel, 1930 and the holotype and paratypes of Ceratocephala corallicola Reish, 1968. This explains why her description begins with the measurements of a specimen that does not match the holotypes of either species, as 20 mm long and up to 112 chaetigers. Since Pettibone (1971) mixed morphological features of these two species originally described from very distant localities we have restricted our redescription of Websterinereis foli to only the specimen that Fauvel (1930) designated as the holotype.

Central Pacific (New Caledonia, Marshall Islands), Australia (Western Australia, New South Wales, South Australia, Lizard Islands), Indonesia.