Annelids (Polychaeta and Oligochaeta) from the Sea of Marmara, with descriptions of five new species

Abstract

This paper deals with annelids (Oligochaeta and Polychaeta) collected in the Sea of Marmara between 2006 and 2010 at depths from 0 to 66 m. A total of five oligochaete and 198 polychaete species were found. Five polychaete species, namely Prosphaerosyllis marmarae sp. nov., Levinsenia demiri sp. nov., Levinsenia kosswigi sp. nov., Levinsenia marmarensis sp. nov. and Levinsenia tribranchiata sp. nov. are new to science, and five oligochaete and 84 polychaete species are new to the fauna of the Sea of Marmara. A list of species found in the region and their maximum densities are presented at depth intervals. The present material includes six alien polychaete species, Paraprionospio coora, Polydora cornuta, Prionospio (Minuspio) pulchra, Pseudopolydora paucibranchiata, Chaetozone corona and Metasychis gotoi, of which the latter four species were new records for the region.

Keywords:

• Polychaeta
• Oligochaeta
• Levinsenia
• Prosphaerosyllis
• new species
• Sea of Marmara
• Turkey

Acknowledgements

We are much indebted to colleagues at the Department of Hydrobiology (Ege University) for help in collecting and sorting the benthic material; to Dr Florencio Aquirrezabalaga (EHU/UPV Donostiako Irakasleen Unibertsitate Eskola, Spain) for loaning the paratype of L. kantauriensis; and to Keiichi Matsuura (National Museum of Nature and Science, Japan) for loaning the holotype of Levinsenia gracilis japonica; and to three anonymous referees for their constructive comments. The Levant and Aegean Sea specimens of Levinsenia demiri, L. kosswigi and L. tribranchiata, which were evaluated here as additional materials, were collected during the TUBITAK projects (104Y065 and SINHA 107G066).