Marine gastrotrichs from the Tuscan achipelago (Tyrrhenian Sea): II. Chaetonotida, with description of three new species

Abstract

Twenty‐three species of chetonotid gastrotrichs are reported from three islands of the Tuscan Archipelago (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). The island of Elba is the largest in the archipelago and has the most sand beaches. It possesses the greatest diversity of gastrotrich fauna, with 17 known species. The island of Capraia ranks second with 12 species, and the island of Giglio is third with 8 species. Chaetonotus napoleonicus from the island of Elba and Chaetonotus aegilonensis together with Halichaetonotus marivagus, both from the island of Capraia, are described as new species. A clarification of the diagnostic characters of C. atrox, C. dispar and C. neptuni is given. Xenotrichula carolinensis is synonymized with X. intermedia.

Key words:

• Gastrotricha
• Chaetonotida
• Marine meiofauna
• Italian fauna
• Island of Elba
• Island of Capraia
• Island of Giglio

Notes

Department of Zoology and Physiology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803 ‐ USA.