Taxonomy and distribution of Icelandic Fauveliopsidae (Annelida) collected during the BIOICE project

ABSTRACT

Samples collected during the BIOICE project off Iceland yielded three species of marine annelids belonging to the family Fauveliopsidae: Fauveliopsis olgae Hartmann-Schröder, 1983, Laubieriopsis brevis (Hartman, 1967) and Laubieriopsis cabiochi (Amoureux, 1982). Taxonomic remarks and data on geographical and bathymetric distribution are presented and several body characters of taxonomic value were reviewed with Scanning Electron Microscope. Fauveliopsis olgae and L. brevis are reported for the first time in the area. Specimens of L. cabiochi showed some morphological variability compared to previous descriptions of the species. The three species had a similar geographic distribution along the south side of the GIF ridge, from NW to SE Iceland; F. olgae and L. brevis were, however, found in a wider range of depths and values of bottom temperature than L. cabiochi.

KEYWORDS:

• Annelida
• Iceland
• BIOICE
• taxonomy
• SEM

Acknowledgements

Authors wish to thank Gudmundur Gudmundsson, Director of Collections and Systematics Department, Náttúrufræðistofnun Íslands (Icelandic Institute of Natural History) for the loan of the specimens. Thanks also to all the people involved in BIOICE sample collecting and specimens sorting in the Sandgerdi Marine Centre (Iceland). Ada Castro and Catalina Sueiro (SAIN, UDC) assisted in the preparation of specimens and Noela Sánchez (Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos-CESIMAR, Chubut-Argentina) with the elaboration of the maps. This study was partly supported by the Fauna Ibérica research project (Polychaeta VII, Palpata, Canalipalpata II - PGC2018-095851-B-C64) to JP and JM. The UDC Bibliographic Service is also thanked for providing useful bibliography. We thank Anna J. Phillips (JNH Associate Editor) and Cris Ann Bausing (JNH Editorial Office) for their help during the editorial process, and Alexandra Rizzo and one anonymous referee for their constructive comments and suggestions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Project Fauna Iberica-Polychaeta VII [PGC2018-095851-B-C64].