Search

In Australia, the deep-water (bathyal and abyssal) benthic invertebrate fauna is poorly known in comparison with that of shallow (subtidal and shelf) habitats. Benthic fauna from the deep eastern Australian margin was sampled systematically for the first time during 2017 RV ‘Investigator’ voyage ‘Sampling the Abyss’. Box core, Brenke sledge, and beam trawl samples were collected at one-degree intervals from Tasmania, 42°S, to southern Queensland, 24°S, from 900 to 4800 m depth. Annelids collected were identified by taxonomic experts on individual families around the world. A complete list of all identified species is presented, accompanied with brief morphological diagnoses, taxonomic remarks, and colour images. A total of more than 6000 annelid specimens consisting of 50 families (47 Polychaeta, one Echiura, two Sipuncula) and 214 species were recovered. Twenty-seven species were given valid names, 45 were assigned the qualifier cf., 87 the qualifier sp., and 55 species were considered new to science. Geographical ranges of 16 morphospecies extended along the eastern Australian margin to the Great Australian Bight, South Australia; however, these ranges need to be confirmed with genetic data. This work providing critical baseline biodiversity data on an important group of benthic invertebrates from a virtually unknown region of the world’s ocean will act as a springboard for future taxonomic and biogeographic studies in the area.

We present DNA taxonomy of abyssal polychaete worms from the eastern Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), central Pacific Ocean, using material collected as part of the Abyssal Baseline (ABYSSLINE) environmental survey cruises ‘AB01’ and ‘AB02’ to the UK Seabed Resources Ltd (UKSRL) polymetallic nodule exploration contract area ‘UK-1’, the Ocean Mineral Singapore exploration contract area ‘OMS-1’ and an Area of Particular Environmental Interest, ‘APEI-6’. This is the fourth paper in a series to provide regional taxonomic data with previous papers reporting on Cnidaria, Echinodermata and Mollusca. Taxonomic data are presented for 23 species from 85 records within four polychaete families: Capitellidae, Opheliidae, Scalibregmatidae and Travisiidae, identified by a combination of morphological and genetic data, including molecular phylogenetic analyses. Two taxa (genetically separated from one another) morphologically matched the same known cosmopolitan species,Ophelina abranchiatathat has a type locality in a different ocean basin and depth from where no genetic data was available. These two species were assigned the open nomenclature ‘cf.’ as a precautionary approach in taxon assignments to avoid over-estimating species ranges. Twelve (12) taxa are here described as new species,Ammotrypanella keenanisp. nov.,Ammotrypanella kerstenisp. nov.,Ophelina curlisp. nov.,Ophelina ganaesp. nov.,Ophelina juhazisp. nov.,Ophelina martinezarbizuisp. nov.,Ophelina meyeraesp. nov.,Ophelina nunnallyisp. nov.,Oligobregma brasieraesp. nov.,Oligobregma tanisp. nov.,Oligobregma whaleyisp. nov.andTravisia ziegleraesp. nov.For the remaining nine taxa, we have determined them to be potentially new species, for which we make the raw data, imagery and vouchers available for future taxonomic study. The CCZ is a region undergoing intense exploration for potential deep-sea mineral extraction from polymetallic nodules. We present these data to facilitate future taxonomic and environmental impact study by making both data and voucher materials available through curated and accessible biological collections.

The fine structure of mouth parts was studied in 19 species from 13 genera belonging to the three families that are known to have a soft non-muscular axial proboscis: Orbiniidae, Opheliidae, and Scalibregmatidae. Four types of mouth structures divergent from the simple non-muscular axial proboscis were found. (1) A bubble-like symmetrical ciliated proboscis was found in both Ophelia and Euzonus, genera in the subfamily Opheliinae. A similar mouth structure is known for Paraonidae, Capitellidae, and some Maldanidae. (2) A folded symmetrical axial proboscis with well-developed ciliated lobes that form a complicated structure with intricate patterns; the mouth opening is terminal, and the whole structure is symmetrical. Orbiniidae, Scalibregmatidae, and Travisia (Opheliidae) have this type. (3) An asymmetrical dorsal lobed proboscis. The plane of asymmetry is dorsoventral. It is a tongue-like lobed or flattened eversible structure. The mouth opening is situated below and behind it. When inverted into the pharyngeal cavity, the entire structure is rooted dorsally. It is found in all studied species of Ophelina and Polyophthalmus and in Armandia brevis. (4) Oral tentacles (about 12 ciliated tentacles). When retracted, the oral tentacles are situated dorsally in the pharyngeal cavity, similar to the folds of an asymmetrical lobed proboscis (type 3). Contractor muscles and vascular vessels are found inside the cavity of the tentacles. This type is found in Armandia maculata and A. leptocirrus. A tentative scheme of transformation of the soft axial proboscis is presented. Three main trends of proboscis transformation in the Scolecida are discussed: (1) enlargement of the ciliated surface of the proboscis by the development of numerous folds and intricate patterns, (2) appearance of an asymmetrical proboscis, and (3) transformation of the asymmetrical dorsal lobed proboscis into oral tentacles.

Ribas, Julia, Hutchings, Pat (2015): Lizard Island Polychaete Workshop: sampling sites and a checklist of polychaetes. Zootaxa 4019 (1): 7-34, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4019.1.4

Mikac, Barbara (2015): A sea of worms: polychaete checklist of the Adriatic Sea. Zootaxa 3943 (1): 1-172, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3943.1.1

Salazar-Vallejo, Sergio I., Carrera-Parra, Luis F., Muir, Alexander I., León-González, Jesús Angel De, Piotrowski, Christina, Sato, Masanori (2014): Polychaete species (Annelida) described from the Philippine and China Seas. Zootaxa 3842 (1): 1-68, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3842.1.1

Seven new species of polychaetes are presented from the Southern Ocean deep sea. The ampharetid species Anobothrus pseudoampharete sp. nov. is the third species of its genus reported for the Southern Ocean, the same applies to the scalibregmatid species Pseudoscalibregma papilia sp. nov. Five new opheliid species are described — two belong to the genus Ophelina Örsted, 1843, namely O. ammotrypanella sp. nov. and O. robusta sp. nov. The remaining three species, Ammotrypanella cirrosa sp. nov., A. mcintoshi sp. nov., and A. princessa sp. nov., belong to the formerly monospecific genus Ammotrypanella McIntosh, 1879. Based on these new findings the genus is revised, its type species A. arctica McIntosh, 1879 is redescribed.

We provide a description of newly collected specimens of Axiokebuita Pocklington & Fournier from Norway, previously known only from east Canada and the Antarctic. Due to delineation problems between the only two described species, A. minuta (Hartman) and A. millsi Pocklington & Fournier, these new specimens cannot unambiguously be referred to either species. Previously unnoticed adhesive papillae on the pygidium are present in both species and may constitute an apomorphy for Axiokebuita. The taxon lacks many morphological features otherwise characteristic for scalibregmatids, and to assess its affinities we present 18S rDNA and 28S rDNA-based analyses together with six other scalibregmatids and twenty other polychaetes. A nemertean is used as outgroup. All analyses support that Axiokebuita is a scalibregmatid. Furthermore, Travisia Johnston, traditionally referred to the Opheliidae, is nested within the scalibregmatids, as sister to Neolipobranchius Hartman & Fauchald. Arenicolidae and Maldanidae may constitute the sister group of scalibregmatids.