Julie H. Bailey-Brock

Chaetopterus and Mesochaetopterus (Polychaeta: Chaetopteridae) from the Galapagos Islands, with Descriptions of Four New Species

ABSTRACT. We provide descriptions of five species of Chaetopterus and two species of Mesochaetopterus (Annelida: Polychaeta: Chaetopteridae) based on collections during 2001–2007 and observations from the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. Chaetopterus galapagensis sp. nov. is a large (ca. 18 cm long) worm that inhabits a U-shaped tube in soft sand substrates. It is characterized by 12 – 14 chaetigers in the anterior region and 7–8 teeth on uncini of region A neuropodia. Chaetopterus charlesdarwinii sp. nov. is of intermediate size (2 – 4.5 cm long) with 9 anterior region chaetigers and a characteristic brown band on the lateral side of the ventral shield and posterior side of anterior region notopodia. It inhabits irregularly curved tubes cemented to the underside of rocks. Worms may occur singly or aggregated, with up to 10 worms in a cluster. Chaetopterus aduncus sp. nov. is 8–10 cm in length, and is characterized by 10 – 11 anterior region chaetigers, characteristic J-shaped tube with one blind end, and prominent dorsal bulbous inflations in anterior region chaetigers. Chaetopterus longipes Crossland, 1904 is highly gregarious, frequently forming aggregations of hundreds of worms. It is especially common at the northern islands of Darwin and Wolf. Chaetopterus macropus Schmarda, 1861 is solitary, lives in a U-shaped tube on a sandy bottom, has 9 anterior region chaetigers and no brown bands in region-A. We compared the five Galapagos Chaetopterus species to other Pacific (Japanese and Australian) species of the genus in detail. We confirm the presence of Mesochaetopterus minutus Potts, 1914 in Galapagos, the only chaetopterid previously recorded from the archipelago. Mesochaetopterus ecuadorica sp. nov. is a large (12 – 20 cm long) solitary species with 2 middle region chaetigers, that inhabits a long, nearly straight tube with small perforations at the blind end. New taxa: Chaetopterus galapagensis Nishi, Hickman, & Bailey-Brock, Chaetopterus charlesdarwinii Nishi, Hickman, & BaileyBrock, Chaetopterus aduncus Nishi, Hickman, & Bailey-Brock, Mesochaetopterus ecuadorica Nishi, Hickman, & Bailey-Brock

Evidence for Sequential Hermaphroditism in Sabellastarte spectabilis (Polychaeta: Sabellidae) in Hawai‘i.

ABSTRACT Understanding the reproductive characteristics of Sabellastarte spectabilis (Grube, 1878), an economically important polychaete worm collected for the aquarium trade, is essential to the development of artificial propagation and conservation of coral reefs. The purpose of this study was to determine whether S. spectabilis is hermaphroditic. Using histological techniques, 180 individuals were examined for gametes. Gametes were present only in abdominal segments. Primary oocytes were 7–8 μm in diameter in histologically prepared sections. Sperm appeared as round black dots about 2 μm in diameter on histologically prepared slides. Most individuals sampled had only one type of gamete in the coelom, but both eggs and sperm were seen in the coelom of 15% of individuals, demonstrating the occurrence of hermaphroditism in Hawaiian populations of S. spectabilis. The sex ratio of males to females was skewed significantly toward males in both the small (6–8 mm diameter) and medium (9–10 mm diameter) sized worms. Among the largest worms (11–13 mm diameter), the sex ratio did not diverge significantly from 1 :1. There was a significantly higher proportion of hermaphrodites (30%) in the large size class. Worms of unknown gender, although present in all size classes examined, were most frequent (33%) in the medium size class. These patterns are consistent with sequential (protandrous) hermaphroditism.

Three New Species of Saccocirrus (Polychaeta: Saccocirridae) from Hawai'i

Three new species of saccocirrids from interstitial sand habitats off O‘ahu, Hawai‘i, are described. Two are from subtidal depths, 9–33 m, and the third is from the intertidal to 3.5 m deep on a fringing reef and at Hanauma Bay, the Marine Life Conservation District and public park. The two deeper-water species, Saccocirrus oahuensis, n. sp. and S. waianaensis, n. sp., have 76–119 and 157–210 segments, respectively; they also have bilateral gonads but lack a pharyngeal pad. The third, S. alanhongi, n. sp., has 35–47 segments, unilateral gonads, and a muscular pharyngeal pad. These species are distinguished from 18 known Saccocirrus spp. by their unique chaetation, number of segments, presence or absence of ventral cilia, and pygidial adhesive structures. Saccocirrus oahuensis consumes foraminiferans, and S. alanhongi contained diatoms, unicellular algae, and ostracods. These species add to the interstitial fauna of O‘ahu and cooccur with polychaetes Nerilla antennata (Nerillidae) and protodrilids (Protodrilidae), and Kinorhyncha. Saccocirrus alanhongi withstands almost daily disturbance by 600–1200 bathers per day entering the sandy swimming holes in the reef at Hanauma Bay.

Neosabellaria vitiensis, n. sp. (Annelida: Polychaeta: Sabellariidae), from Shallow Water of Suva Harbor, Fiji

ABSTRACT A new species of the genus Neosabellaria Kirtley, 1994, is described from shallow-water locations of Suva Harbor, Fiji. Neosabellaria vitiensis Bailey-Brock, Kirtley, Nishi, & Pohler, n. sp., is a gregarious sabellariid; its tubes are constructed of sand and shell debris and form small “reefs” exposed during low tides. The new species is distinguished by the structure of opercular paleae in the middle row, which are shoe-shaped with circular tips, and paleae in the outer row, which have distal lateral teeth and denticulate median plume. Detailed morphological features of the new species are described and compared with other Pacific sabellariid species, particularly with most closely related N. clandestina (Menon & Sareen, 1966). Neosabellaria vitiensis is endemic to the Fiji Islands.

Changes in pollution indicators at the Sand Island sewage outfall

Comparison of benthic communities off the Sand Island Ocean Outfall was undertaken to recognize pollution indicator species for Hawaiian waters. The primary treatment sewage is discharged off the south shore of Oahu at 70 m depth. A historical data set spanning 15 years for seven sites at 70 m (4 ZID and 3 far field) and two studies at 20, 50, and 100 m were compared. Polychaetes collected with a 7.6 cm diameter sediment core were sorted and five indicator species tentatively identified. Neanthes arenaceodentata (F. Nereididae) and Ophryotrocha adherens (F. Dorvilleidae) have been dominant at ZID stations. Since 1993, N. arenaceodentata has virtually disappeared from the ZID while o. adherens became abundant and continues to flourish there. The well known indicators within the Capitella capitata complex (F. Capitellidae) are present at ZID and far field sites. Two sabellids, Euchone sp. B and Augeneriella dubia are inversely distributed, the smaller Euchone sp. B at the far field stations and larger A. dubia at the ZID. The former is most likely restricted to the greater proportion of fine sediment particles at two far field sites. Pionosyllis heterocirrata (F. Syllidae) is the most abundant and widespread polychaete off Oahus south shore. These indicator species share life history and feeding traits that lead to rapid growth and onset of reproduction, and produce benthic juveniles that recruit to the parent population leading to high levels of abundance. The success of indicator species is due to rapid use of available food resources and resulting increase in abundance. O. adherens is the most abundant indicator species at the ZID, P heterocirrata is the most ubiquitous species at all sites and should always be present in these sediments. No pollution level effects on the benthic assemblages seem to be present, but fluctuations in indicator abundances may indicate a response to organic materials such as sewage outfalls. Future changes in benthic assemblages on Oahus south shore need to consider all possible organic sources including sewage effluent, fish farm wastes, land run off, canal and harbor drainage and the effects of beach nourishment projects.

Spatio-temporal changes in trophic categories of infaunal polychaetes near the four wastewater ocean outfalls on Oahu, Hawaii.

This study examines the effect of sewage discharge on benthic polychaete assemblages in the context of their functional trophic categories. We present data spanning 20 years of monitoring benthic invertebrate assemblages and sediment properties at all 4 primary- and secondary-treatment wastewater outfalls servicing Honolulu and the island of Oahu, Hawaii, USA. Samples collected within mandated zones of initial dilution (ZIDs) near outfall discharge sites were compared to samples collected at reference stations at varying distances away. Our findings indicate that sediment properties were not affected by the outfall discharge rate or distance from each ZID. The number of polychaete species in 4 functional trophic categories (carnivore, detritivore, omnivore, and suspension feeder) did not change with the outfall solid loading rate or with distance from each ZID, thus suggesting relatively little organic enrichment. We find no evidence of heavy organic enrichment beyond the designated ZIDs at these 4 wastewater outfalls.

A new species and two new records of Cirratulidae (Annelida: Polychaeta) from Guam, Mariana Islands

Polychaetes from the Mariana Islands of Guam and Saipan have been characterized in previous studies but a thorough taxonomic study of the cirratulids has only been possible recently. Here we report on two new records, Caulleriella pacifica and Chaetozone flagellifera , and a new species, Monticellina lueldredgei , sp. nov. The species C. pacifica is newly recorded for the western Pacific while C. flagellifera is reported for the first time since its original description. The new species M. lueldredgei is unique in the genus with respect to the ultrastructure and segmental origin of the modified capillaries as well as for the distinctive methyl green staining pattern.

A new species of Protocirrineris (Polychaeta: Cirratulidae) from Hawaii including a redescription of the New Zealand Protocirrineris nuchalis

Abstract Protocirrineris mascaratus sp. nov., is described from intertidal reef flats in Oahu, Hawaii. It is unique among its congeners by the segmental origin of the feeding tentacles and branchiae in addition to the very distinct methyl green staining pattern on the anterior end. A redescription of Protocirrineris nuchalis based on syntypes and a comparative table of all valid species within Protocirrineris is presented.

Coral reef inhabiting tubeworms (Polychaeta: Serpulidae) from Enewetak, Kwajalein, Rongelap and Utirik Atolls, Marshall Islands

The coral reef inhabiting tubeworms from the Marshall Islands have been studied by few authors mainly by samplings in Enewetak Atoll. We report several new records of serpuline and spirorbine tubeworms from Enewetak Atoll as well as from Kwajalein, Utirik and Rongelap Atolls. Twenty-one species of Serpulinae and seven species of Spirorbinae are described and illustrated with line drawings, colour and/or scanning electron microscopy photographs. Neodexiospira turrita nom. nov. is proposed to replace Neodexiospira preacuta . Enewetak Atoll still represents the most species-rich atoll in the Marshall Islands but this is most likely the result of a greater sampling effort in this atoll for the last few decades.

A new marine species of Tubificoides (Annelida: Oligochaeta: Tubificidae) from Hawaii, U.S.A

ABSTRACT Tubificoides calvescentis is described from subtidal sediments near a sewage outfall at Sand Island, off Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii. It is characterized by hair chaetae being restricted to preclitellar segments, small atria and spermathecae, and smooth, cylindrical, cuticular penis sheaths. Tubificoides bakeri Brinkhurst, 1985, known from the West coast of North America, appears to be closely related to the new species; its male genitalia are virtually identical to those of T. calvescentis. However, T. bakeri does not possess distinct cuticular papillae, which are evident in T. calvescentis, and it has more numerous chaetae and more slender spermatozeugmata than those of the new species. The paper also provides a nomenclaturally updated list of all marine oligochaetes reported from Hawaii.