Luis F. Carrera-Parra

Revision of Chauvinelia , redescriptions of Flabelliseta incrusta , and Helmetophorus rankini , and their recognition as acrocirrids (Polychaeta: Acrocirridae)

Chauvinelia contains two abyssal species, C. biscayensis, and C. arctica. Because of the lack of some relevant details in the original descriptions, they are redescribed, the generic diagnosis is emended, and a key to separate them is included. Flabelliseta incrusta and Helmetophorus rankini, the type and only species for these genera are redescribed; they lack annulated or mold-articulated capillaries, their chaetae have a detachable cortex carrying successive rows of tiny spines, and they share several features with Chauvinelia. Therefore Flabelliseta, and Helmetophorus, currently regarded as members of Flabelligeridae de Saint-Joseph, 1894, are transferred to the Acrocirridae Banse, 1969. Consequently the family diagnosis is emended to include simple capillary neurochaetae, and a key for all acrocirrid genera is also included.

Redescription of Alitta succinea (Leuckart, 1847) and reinstatement of A. acutifolia (Ehlers, 1901) n. comb. based upon morphological and molecular data (Polychaeta: Nereididae)

The nereidid worm Alitta succinea (Leuckart, 1847), described from Western Germany, has been considered by some authors as a widespread and alien invasive species, or else as a group of morphologically indistinguishable species. Neither idea has yet been supported by critical taxonomic revisions of relevant material. Most characterizations of A. succinea were based upon a mixture of morphological features from specimens from the type locality and from other regions. Moreover, four species described from America are considered junior synonyms of A. succinea, including Nereis acutifolia Ehlers, 1901, described from the eastern tropical Pacific. The type material of the latter species has not been reviewed since its description. We re-examined type and topotype materials of A. succinea and N. acutifolia including atokous and epitokous specimens. In addition, newly collected specimens were used to evaluate genetic divergence between both species using the mitochondrial gene COI. Alitta succinea is redescribed from type material and specimens from Germany. We rejected the recent placement of the species in Neanthes and we transferred it to Alitta. Further, we refuse the synonymy of N. acutifolia with A. succinea due to morphological and molecular differences. Consequently, we regard Alitta acutifolia n. comb. as a valid species, and the supposed introduction and the alien status of A. succinea along the Mexican and Central American Pacific shores are rejected.

Reinstatement of three species of the Marphysa sanguinea complex (Polychaeta: Eunicidae) from the Grand Caribbean Region.

As part of a study on Marphysa de Quatrefages, 1865 from the Grand Caribbean, three species regarded as junior synonyms of M. sanguinea (Montagu, 1913) were studied to clarify their taxonomic status. The examination of type and additional materials collected in the southern Gulf of Mexico and the Mexican Caribbean regions, allowed us to clarify that M. acicularum Webster, 1884, M. nobilis Treadwell, 1917 and M. viridis Treadwell, 1917 are distinct species. Therefore, the three species were redescribed and some important morphological features such as maxillary apparatus, shape of parapodial lobes, shape of ventral cirri and pectinate chaetae, among others, were described and evaluated. Furthermore, we consider that previous records of M. sanguinea for the Grand Caribbean are doubtful and it is necessary to reassess those specimens to clarify their taxonomic identity.

First record of the genus Kuwaita (Annelida: Lumbrineridae) in Europe with the description of a new species and new ultramorphological data for the genus.

A new species of the genus Kuwaita Mohammad, 1973, collected intertidally from a northern Spain estuary (Bay of Biscay), is described. Kuwaita hanneloreae sp. nov. constitutes the first evidence of this genus in European waters and is characterised by: prostomium with three small antennae protruding from nuchal fold, lack of eyes; simple multidentate hooded hooks with long hood in anterior chaetigers, and short hood in posterior ones with well defined proximal and distal teeth with several teeth between them; posterior chaetigers with very small nephridial papillae; branchiae reduced to little knobs in posterior parapodia; maxillary apparatus with five pairs of maxillae, MIII bidentate with distal tooth bigger than proximal one. We present brief notes on its ecology and remarks on the presence and ultrastructure of a notopodial sense organ newly recorded for the genus. Furthermore, an updated key of the genus Kuwaita is included.

Revision of Lepidonopsis humilis (Augener, 1922) and description of L. barnichae sp. nov. (Annelida: Polychaeta: Polynoidae) based upon morphological and molecular characters

Lepidonopsis humilis (Augener, 1922) has been considered as an amphiamerican species, widely recorded in both the Grand Caribbean region and the Tropical Eastern Pacific. Based on type material and additional materials, L. humilis is redescribed herein and its distribution clarified and restricted. Furthermore, the identity of specimens from the Mexican Pacific is clarified and a new species L. barnichae sp. nov. is described. This species is characterized by conical macrotubercles with slightly curved tips; all elytra with a tuft of papillae on the surface, isolated from the marginal papillae; and the second segment dorsally projecting over the prostomium as a small lobe. Additionally, there is a 17.6% genetic divergence in the nucleotide sequence variation of COI between L. humilis and L. barnichae sp. nov., which supports the morphological differences observed. Thus, L. humilis does not have an amphiamerican distribution but is restricted to the Gran Caribbean region; whereas the specimens from the Tropical Eastern Pacific belong to the newly described species L. barnichae sp. nov. A key to the three known species of Lepidonopsis is included.

Lobo Orensanz (1945-2015) y su contribución al conocimiento de los poliquetos (Annelida)

Jose Maria Orensanz, better known as ‘Lobo’ since his childhood, made different scientific contributions on the taxonomy of marine or estuarine annelids, as ...

Redescription of Eunice sebastiani and recognition of E. riojai (Polychaeta: Eunicidae)

In a series of studies on eunicids, there were explicit or implicit indications that Eunice riojai described from the north-western Caribbean Sea, and Eunice sebastiani described from south-east Brazil, were synonyms. This was based upon a then recent monograph on the genus, and on the fact that some specimens were found in drifting wood which would explain the large geographical range. The study of some large specimens of E. sebastiani, collected at the type locality, shows that there are several relevant morphological differences between the two species and thus both species names must be regarded as distinct. In fact, E. sebastiani is unique in the genus because their maxillae V are bidentate. Furthermore, herein we re-describe these two species and re-evaluate some morphological features described in previous studies.

Revision of Marphysa de Quatrefages, 1865 and some species of Nicidion Kinberg, 1865 with the erection of a new genus (Polychaeta: Eunicidae) from the Grand Caribbean

Nine species of Marphysa from the Grand Caribbean Region are recognized and described based on the type and non-type specimens. One species is formally described as new: M. emiliae n. sp., and one is re-established as a valid species: M. fragilis Treadwell, 1911. The diagnosis of Nicidion Kinberg, 1865 is restricted based on novel features of the maxillary apparatus. Nicidion angeli (Carrera-Parra & Salazar-Vallejo, 1998) is redescribed, and two species that previously belonged to Marphysa, are transferred to Nicidion: N. longula (Ehlers, 1887) n. comb. and N. obtusa (Verrill, 1900) n. comb.. A new genus Treadwellphysa n. gen. is proposed to include those species having a newly described type of chaetae named spinifalcigers (exhibiting a mixture of falciger and spiniger blades), the base of maxillae II with a small elevation, and the ventral cirri with swollen base as transverse welt with short digitiform tip. Treadwellphysa n. gen. includes a new species, T. yucatanensis n. sp. and three other species previously included in Marphysa: T. amadae (Fauchald, 1977) n. comb., T. languida (Treadwell, 1921) n. comb., and T. veracruzensis (de León-González & Díaz-Castañeda, 2006) n. comb. Some morphological features are evaluated to clarify their variability with respect to specimen size. A key to Eunicidae genera, and keys to species of Marphysa and Treadwellphysa n. gen. from the Grand Caribbean region are given.

First species of Leptochelia Dana, 1849 (Crustacea: Tanaidacea) from the Eastern Pacific, with an annotated checklist and identification keys for the genus.

Forty three species of leptocheliids are known worldwide. In the American region only eight species have been described from the Western Atlantic, while for the Eastern Pacific none have been described, suggesting that the diversity of this family has been severely underestimated in this region. Here we describe the first species of Leptochelia from the Eastern Pacific, Leptochelia mexicana n. sp., which is characterized by the males having a spiniform seta on the second segment of uropodal endopod, a novel feature for the genus. In addition, the first annotated checklist and a taxonomic key with illustrations for Leptochelia species are included. The list includes the type locality, type depository, distribution, habitat and, in some cases, remarks.