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Abstract
Seven species of the marine enchytraeid genus Grania Southern, 1913 are described from sediments sampled during the 2003 International Workshop on the Marine Flora and Fauna of Esperance Bay and the Recherche Archipelago, on the southern coast of Western Australia. Two species are new to science, the euryhaline Tasmanian G. dolichura Rota and Erséus, Citation2000 represents a new record for the state, and the remaining four species were known from other parts of Western Australia. Grania quaerens sp. n. is recognized by having a high chaetal index ( = short chaetal foot), small coelomocytes, penial apparati with long whip‐like terminal stylets, conspicuous spermathecae with ectally bulbous ducts, and ectally granulated ampullae housing sperm rings in their ental region. Grania sperantia sp. n. is readily distinguishable by the complete lack of lateral chaetae, a multiple‐banded pattern of the clitellum, extremely long sperm funnels, and the intrasegmental location of the spermathecal pores. The latter new species and four others in the collection (G. bykane Coates, Citation1990, G. crassiducta Coates, Citation1990, G. dolichura, and G. ersei Coates, Citation1990) are remarkable in possessing the head organ, a sensory structure unique to Grania that was not noted previously in Western Australian species. When considering the whole genus, the geographic pattern of the head organ appears southern‐centred: of the 17 species of Grania reported to possess it, as many as 13 inhabit the southern latitudes. The seventh species of the Esperance collection, G. vacivasa Coates and Stacey, Citation1993, is notable for the kind of items found in its gut and the unusual appearance of its pygidium.
Acknowledgements
We are indebted to Dr F. E. Wells (WAM, Perth), for inviting us to study the marine oligochaetes during the Esperance Marine Biological Workshop; to Ms Ylva Lilliemarck (SMNH), for staining and mounting all the specimens studied; and to the University of Siena (to E.R.), the Chinese Academy of Sciences (to H.W.), and the Swedish Science Research Council (to C.E.), for financial support. We also thank two anonymous reviewers for useful suggestions.