Abstract
Based on specimens recently collected in sediments from 2700 m depth off Mauritania (Northwest Africa; type locality) and from 2700–4400 m depth off Angola (Southwest Africa), a new genus and species, Mauretanaspis longichaeta gen. et spec. nov., is described. The new genus and species are characterized by a unique combination of characters: ventro-caudal shield covered by firmly adhering sediment, lateral margins strongly bent and merging into integument; introvert hooks tapering; eight pre-shield segments; absence of peg chaetae; exceptionally long posteriormost lateral chaetae equaling body length; posterior shield chaetae equaling shield length. A comparative table of characters for all currently recognised sternaspid genera and a key to all species with ventro-caudal shield covered by firmly adhering sediment are provided.
Highlights
Sternaspidae Carus, 1863 represents an enigmatic polychaete taxon characterized by the presence of a unique bilaterally symmetrical ventro-caudal shield
Counting of segments starts with chaetiger 1, i.e., pro- and peristomium are not included.The holotype is deposited at FIEGE D. & BARNICH R., A new genus and species of Sternaspidae from the deep eastern Atlantic
Kobayashi et al (2018) and Drennan et al (2019) used molecular techniques to study the taxonomy and systematics of Sternaspidae, but the definition of most sternaspid taxa still relies on morphological characters with the enigmatic ventro-caudal shield being the most prominent
Summary
Sternaspidae Carus, 1863 represents an enigmatic polychaete taxon characterized by the presence of a unique bilaterally symmetrical ventro-caudal shield. The taxonomy of Sternaspidae has received specific attention during recent years following the first revision of the group by Sendall & SalazarVallejo (2013). Their morphological study resulted in the distinction of three genera (Sternaspis Otto, 1821, Caulleryaspis Sendall & Salazar-Vallejo, 2013 and Petersenaspis Sendall & Salazar-Vallejo, 2013) and a rapid increase of the number of species from 13 to 44, including the species described (Fiege 2016, 2019). With Sternaspis monroi Salazar-Vallejo, 2014, recently synoymized with S. sendalli Salazar-Vallejo, 2014 (Drennan et al 2019), the actual number of species comes to 43. Sternaspis annenkovae Salazar-Vallejo & Buzhinskaja, 2013 Sternaspis maior Chamberlin, 1919 Sternaspis maureri Salazar-Vallejo & Buzhinskaja, 2013 Sternaspis princeps Selenka, 1885 Sternaspis rietschi Caullery, 1944 Sternaspis sendalli Salazar-Vallejo, 2014 Sternaspis uschakovi Salazar-Vallejo & Buzhinskaja, 2013 Sternaspis williamsae Salazar-Vallejo & Buzhinskaja, 2013
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