Redescription of Harmothoe crucis (Annelida, Polychaeta, Polynoidae), and re-establishment of synonymized species from the Grand Caribbean with descriptions of four new species

Abstract

Harmothoe crucis (Grube, 1856) is a littoral polynoid species from the Grand Caribbean Region, which was originally only briefly described and not illustrated. Several species from the same region were also referred to as junior synonyms of H. crucis, among them H. lobocephala (Schmarda, 1861), H. lanceocirrata Treadwell, 1928, and H. polytrichoides Augener, 1922. The identity of these species is clarified, based on a close examination of elytra, chaetae and other features of type and non-type material. Furthermore H. lobocephala, H. lanceocirrata, and H. polytrichoides are being redescribed and re-established as valid species. Four other species from the Grand Caribbean region are being described as new species. The shape and distribution of the elytral macrotubercles are the diagnostic features to differentiate the apparently similar species; such features are stable among specimens of the same species and herein are proposed to separate species as they might be used in future phylogenetic studies. The present paper contains new records of species previously known from the region. An identification key for the examined species is included.

Keywords:

• Elytra
• Grand Caribbean
• Mexican Caribbean
• scale worms
• taxonomy

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Acknowledgements

My sincere thanks go to the following curators and institutions for the loan of specimens: Liz Borda and Mark Sidall (AMNH); Helmut Sattman (NHMW); Nancy Voss (UMML); Kristian Fauchald and Linda Ward (USNM); Birger Neuhaus (ZMB); Gisela Wegener and Angelika Brandt (ZMH); Danny Eibye-Jacobsen and Mary Petersen (ZMUC). Leslie Harris (LACM-AHF) for the loan of specimens from Guana, British Virgins Islands (LNHMLAC), collected under a grant from the Biotic Survey and Inventories programme of the US National Science Foundation (DEB 9972100) to T.L. Zimmerman and J.W. Martin. David Gonzalez, Sergio Salazar Vallejo (ECOSUR), Ricardo Martinez and David Shale for correction in the language and recommendations of some versions of this manuscript. Guadalupe Nieto (ECOSUR) for the SEM pictures, Umberto Bahena (ECOSUR) for one of the Photograph, Axayacatl Molina for a preliminary edition of some SEM figures. Finally to CONACYT for a scholarship (94497) for my PhD program, and funds for the project on polychaetes from the Grand Caribbean (32529-T).

Notes

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark