Florencio Aguirrezabalaga

Spionidae (Annelida: Polychaeta) from the Capbreton Canyon (Bay of Biscay, NE Atlantic) with descriptions of a new genus and three new species Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Abstract Eleven species of spionid polychaetes were collected from bathyal depths (492–1113 m) of the Capbreton Canyon, Bay of Biscay, NE Atlantic: Aurospio dibranchiata Maciolek, Prionospio cirrifera Wiren, P. dubia Day, P. ehlersi Fauvel, P. fauchaldi Maciolek, Scolelepis sp. A, Spiophanes kroeyeri Grube, S. wigleyi Pettibone, Laonice junoyi, new species, L. maciolekae, new species, and Spiogalea vieitezi new genus and species, described herein. L. junoyi, collected at one station at a depth of 984–1029 m, is characterized by the unusual structure formed by the caruncle and the nuchal organs. L. maciolekae, collected at depths between 492 and 1040 m, is related to Laonice species with multiple rows of capillaries on the parapodia of anterior chaetigers (L. appelloefi Söderstrom, L. blakei Sikorski and Jirkov, L. weddellia Hartman, L. nuchala Blake and L. norgensis Sikorski). The main characters of Spiogalea vieitezi are the presence of two chitinous plates surrounding the anterior part of the prostomium (this character separates the new genus from all known genera and species of the family Spionidae) and, as in the genera Spiophanella and Spiophanes, the absence of branchiae. The two specimens of Spiogalea were collected at a depth of 1000 m.

Octomagelona bizkaiensis (Polychaeta: Magelonidae) a new genus and species from the Capbreton Canyon (Bay of Biscay, north-east Atlantic)

Octomagelona bizkaiensis (Annelida: Polychacta), a new genus and species of the family Magelonidae is described from the north-eastern Atlantic. The specimens were collected from the Capbreton Canyon, Bay of Biscay, at a depth of 1000-1040 m. The new genus and species differs from all known genera and species of the family Magelonidae by the presence of eight instead of nine thoracic chactigers.

Deep-sea Ampharetidae (Polychaeta) from Capbreton Canyon (north-east Atlantic) with the description of a new species

During the Capbreton cruises (1987–1990), samples of bathyal benthic macrofauna were taken at 37 stations situated along the continental slope (480–1113 m depth) of the Capbreton Canyon (Bay of Biscay, north-east Atlantic). Ten species of polychaetes belonging to six genera (Melinna, Eclysippe, Amphicteis, Anobothrus, Glyphanostomum and Tanseimaruana) of the family Ampharetidae Malmgren, 1866 were collected at 13 of these stations. Most of these species are reported for the first time in the area. Amphicteis aff. wesenbergae is reported for the first time after its recent description and a new species belonging to the genus Glyphanostomum is here described. Moreover, the finding of Melinna monoceroidesrepresents the northernmost record of the species; Tanseimaruana vestis is recorded for the second time from the East Atlantic after its recent finding in Icelandic waters; Anobothrus aff. gracilis is reported for the second time from the Iberian Peninsula, representing, the southernmost record of the species in the Atlantic Ocean. The potential identification of two fragments of an Ampharetinae indet as Anobothrus laubieri, a deep water Arctic species, is discussed.

First record of Longosomatidae (Annelida: Polychaeta) from Iceland with a worldwide review of diagnostic characters of the family

The family Longosomatidae Hartman, 1944 (Annelida: Polychaeta) is newly reported for Icelandic waters. The diversity, taxonomy and ecology of this poorly-known monogeneric family are reviewed based on material collected during the BIOICE project. Two species of the genus Heterospio are recorded and redescribed: Heterospio longissima Ehlers, 1874 sensu Hartman (1965) and Heterospio reducta Laubier, Picard and Ramos, 1972–73. Several body structures of high taxonomic relevance in the genus are reviewed and discussed.

An exceptional occurrence of Cavernularia pusilla (Anthozoa: Pennatulacea) off the Basque coast (south-east Bay of Biscay, north-eastern Atlantic)

An abundant population of the sea pen Cavernularia pusilla (Anthozoa: Pennatulacea), with up to 70 colonies m, has been found on soft bottoms off the Basque coast (south-east Bay of Biscay, north-east Atlantic). This species spreads in an area of several kilometres length, and its bathymetric distribution ranges between 35 and 85 m depth, reaching its highest densities at 45–55 m. Such a population is remarkable, considering the scarce available records of this species and its southern affinities. The geographic and bathymetric distributions of the species are revised and discussed.