POLYCHAETE CRYPTOFAUNA FROM RIMS OF SIMILAR INTERTIDAL VERMETID REEFS ON THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST OF ISRAEL AND IN THE GULF OF ELAT: EXOGONINAE AND AUTOLYTINAE (POLYCHAETA ERRANTIA: SYLLIDAE)

ABSTRACT

The Exogoninae and Autolytinae (Syllidae, Polychaeta Errantia) were studied in two similar habitats in the Gulf of Elat and on the Mediterranean coast of Israel. These were porous reefs of Dendropoma spp. tubes encrusted on seaward margins of intertidal platforms. There were nine species of Exogoninae in the Mediterranean habitat, seven of them new records, and eight Exogoninae in the Gulf of Elat habitat, six of them new records. Three species are common to both habitats and, in addition, each of three other species from the Mediterranean habitat has a closely related species in the Gulf of Elat habitat. One new subspecies, Sphaerosyllis erinaceus cryptica, is described from both habitats. A new species of Exogone, E. heboides, is described from the Gulf of Elat habitat. There was one species of Autolytinae in the Mediterranean habitat and eight species in the Gulf of Elat, of which two were identified only to genus. All are new records. Two new species, Procerea bifidentata and Procerastea pori, are described.