Víctor Hugo Delgado-Blas

Spatio-temporal distribution of spionids (Polychaeta-Spionidae) in an estuarine system in south-central Chile

El estudio se desarrolla en base a la identificacion y distribucion de Spionidae y su relacion con las caracteristicas abioticas del medio, en la desembocadura del sistema estuarial Valdivia-Tornagaleones (Chile). Se muestrearon cuatro periodos en 2005, identificandose ocho especies, Aquilaspio peruana, Boccardia polybranchia, Carazziella carrascoi, Dipolydora socialis, Minuspio patagonica, Rhynchospio glutaea, Scolelepis quinquedentata y Spiophanes sp. Como es tipico en otros estuarios del centro sur de Chile, los espionidos fueron un componente importante de la macroinfauna del estuario Valdivia. La distribucion de la familia Spionidae en el sistema estudiado mostro una mayor riqueza de especies en la zona exterior del estuario, pero altas abundancias (numero de especies) en las zonas interiores. El patron distribucional no vario a lo largo del ano, pero si mostro una fuerte zonacion espacial, con tres grupos significativamente diferentes. Destaco la contribucion de M. patagonica, A. peruana y C. carrascoi en la similaridad de cada uno de estos grupos y de igual forma dentro del componente general de la macroinfauna. Las variables sedimentologicas y profundidad como tambien la contribucion de la materia organica fueron solamente relacionadas marginalmente con la distribucion de esta familia. Los resultados mostraron que la variable ambiental responsable en diferenciacion espacial de los espionidos en los tres grupos, fue la salinidad de fondo permitiendo diferenciar el grupo mas externo con los ubicados al interior de la zona de estudio. La importante contribucion de los espionidos en el componente total de la macroinfauna de la zona de estudio, permiten establecer que especies de esta familia representan un componente importante de zonas estuarinas y de transicion de las costas del pacifico sudoriental.

Polydora and related genera (Polychaeta: Spionidae) from the Grand Caribbean region

The study of previously unidentified material of Spionidae from the Grand Caribbean region resulted in the discovery of five new species in four genera: Boccardia salazari sp. nov., Dipolydora anatentaculata sp. nov., D. contoyensis sp. nov., Polydora quintanarooensis sp. nov. and Pseudopolydora floridensis sp. nov. Boccardia salazari is characterized by two types of major spine in chaetiger 5, one with expanded end bearing cusps without bristles, the other, simple, falcate; D. anatentaculata is characterized by an occipital antenna, and major spines simple, falcate, without subterminal protuberance; D. contoyensis is characterized by six pairs of branchiae on chaetigers 11–16, major spines with two large accessory teeth on concave and convex sides in chaetiger 5, and pygidium small, glandular, cuff‐shaped with dorsal notch; Polydora quintanarooensis is characterized by two eyes, modified spines of chaetiger 5 falcate, with a lateral tooth, and gizzard‐like structure present at segment 16, and Pseudopolydora floridensis is characterized by two types of major spines in chaetiger 5, first falcate, second pennoned, with both types arranged in U‐shaped, double row, a caruncle extending to chaetigers 6–7, and an occipital antenna. A key to all species of Boccardia, Dipolydora, Polydora and Pseudopolydora from the Grand Caribbean region is provided.

Two new species of Paraprionospio (Polychaeta: Spionidae) from the Grand Caribbean region and comments of the genus status

Material earlier recorded from the Grand Caribbean region as Paraprionospio pinnata (Ehlers, 1901) was reexamined and referred to two new species: Paraprionospio tamaii sp. nov. and P. yokoyamai sp. nov. Paraprionospio tamaii sp. nov. has dorsal crests on segments 20–29, notopodial lamellae oval on chaetigers 1–2, reniform on chaetiger four, neuropodial lamellae abovate on chaetiger three, and branchiae with two kinds of lamellae: (1) bifoliate, rounded lamellae positioned basally, and (2) flabellate lamellae positioned from the middle to distal region of branchiae. Paraprionospio yokoyamai sp. nov. has no dorsal crests, notopodial lamellae triangular and elongate on chaetiger 1–2, subtriangular on chaetiger four, neuropodial lamellae cordate on chaetiger three, and branchiae with three kinds of lamellae: (1) small subtriangular (unipinnate) in the basal region, (2) bifoliate in the middle region and (3) flabellate from the middle to distal region. None specimen revised from the Grand Caribbean region was identified as Paraprionospio pinnata. The geographic distribution of this ‘cosmopolitan’ species should be carefully verified. An identification key to currently recognized species of Paraprionospio is provided.

Redescription of two species and five new species of Dispio Hartman, 1951 (Spionidae: Polychaeta) from the eastern Pacific Coast and Caribbean Sea, with a review of the genus

Available type material of Dispio uncinata Hartman, 1951 and D. mororoi Gibbs, 1971, as well as newly collected material from Venezuela and material deposited in the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, was examined. Several important differences were found between D. uncinata, D. mororoi, the new material deposited in the museum and the newly collected material from Venezuela, Panama and California. Dispio uncinata and D. mororoi are redescribed and five new species are also identified and described: D. anauncinata sp. nov., D. lenislamellata sp. nov., and D. longibranchiata sp. nov. are from Southern California, D. panamensis sp. nov. from Panama, and D. bescanzae sp. nov. from Venezuela. Morphological differences between species were recorded, particularly in reference to the shape of prostomium, and caruncle, size of peristomium, shape of notopodial and neuropodial postchaetal lamellae, branchiae from anterior chaetigers fused completely or partially to the notopodial lamellae, presence or abscent of accessory branchial pairs, structure of notopodial and neuropodial chaetae, notopodial and neuropodial lamellae overlapping or touching and other consistent characters. Results of the review of the material from Southern California indicates that D. uncinata is not found in this area of the Pacific, and we recommend that the wide distribution of this species should be taken with caution especially for those distant records from the type locality. A key to all species of Dispio is provided.

Redescriptions and reestablishments of some species belonging to the genus Prionospio (Polychaeta, Spionidae) and descriptions of three new species

Available type material of Prionospio heterobranchia Moore, 1907, P. (Prionospio) texana Hartman, 1951, P. spongicola Wesenberg-Lund, 1958 and P. (P.) newportensis Reish, 1959, as well as newly collected material from the Southern Gulf of Mexico and Chetumal Bay in the Caribbean Sea, was examined. Several important differences were found between P. heterobranchia, P. (Prionospio) texana, P. spongicola and P. (P.) newportensis, and as a result, these three species are removed from synonymy with P. heterobranchia Moore, 1907, and redescribed and reinstated as valid species. In addition, three new species were identified and described: P. caribensis sp. nov., P. rosariae sp. nov. and P. jamaicensis sp. nov. A key to all species of Prionospio with five pairs of branchiae is provided.