Description of a new fireworm, Eurythoe turcica sp. nov. (Polychaeta: Amphinomidae), from the Levantine coast of Turkey (eastern Mediterranean), with re‐descriptions of Eurythoe parvecarunculata Horst and Amphinome djiboutiensis Gravier based on type material

Abstract

The present study describes a new fireworm belonging to the genus Eurythoe, E. turcica sp. nov., collected from Iskenderun Bay and its vicinity (Levantine Sea, Turkey), and re‐describes the closely related species E. parvecarunculata Horst, 1912 and Amphinome djiboutiensis Gravier, 1902, based on the type material. The new species is mainly characterized by having a rounded and short caruncle occupying only chaetiger 1, and dendritically branched branchiae from chaetiger 3 to the end of body. Morphological features of E. turcica are closely similar to those of E. parvecarunculata but the former species lacks the serrated capillary chaeta with a long spur on the notopodia of the median parapodia. The present study also shows that A. djiboutiensis and E. parvecarunculata, which were previously considered synonymous, are distinct species.

Keywords:

• Eurythoe turcica
• Eurythoe parvecarunculata
• Amphinome djiboutiensis
• Amphinomidae
• Polychaeta
• Levantine Sea
• Turkey

Acknowledgements

I am much indebted to colleagues at Department of Hydrobiology, Ege University for help in collecting and sorting the benthic material; to Dr Jon Bleeker (ZMA, the Netherlands) for loaning the holotype of E. parvecarunculata; and to Dr Tarik Meziane (MNHN, France) for loaning the holotype of A. djiboutiensis. This work has been financially supported by TUBITAK (Project Number: 104Y065).