First record of a freshwater Pisionidae (Polychaeta): description of a new species from Panama with a key to the species of Pisione

Abstract

A new species of Pisione Grube, 1857, Pisione garciavaldecasasi n. sp. (Polychaeta: Pisionidae) is described from several small rivers in Cobia Is., Pacific, off Panama. This is the first report of a freshwater Pisionidae and it is one of very few known species of true freshwater polychaetes. The species is characterized by large size, by dorsal cirri of setiger 2 and ventral cirri of setiger 1 only slightly elongated, by non-successive male copulatory organs, and by parapodia each with one compound seta with long blade and three others with short blades.

Keywords :

• Polychaeta
• freshwater
• new species
• Coiba Is.
• Panama