Nemertean fauna (Nemertea) of the White Sea: 140 years of study

Abstract

The composition of the nemertean fauna of the White Sea is summarized from the literature, collections of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences and our own samples. According to published data, 52 species have been recorded for the White Sea. One of them (Tertastemma laminariae Uschakov, 1928) is recorded mistakenly, records of another six species (Cerebratulus pantherinus Hubrecht, 1879; C. fuscoides Bürger, 1892; Micrura albida Verrill, 1879; Amphiporus bioculatus McIntosh, 1874, Tetrastemma flavidum Ehrenberg, 1828 and “Tetrastemma” vittigerum (Bürger, 1904)) should be considered doubtful for the White Sea. Currently, the fauna of the White Sea nemerteans includes 43 species from three classes, five orders and 12 families. From them, five species are not formally described yet, six species identified only to the genus level, and seven species are nomina dubia. Due to the lack of a regional guide for species identification, keys are proposed for 17 common species of White Sea based on external morphology. These keys can be used during student practices and hydrobiological studies. Mass species in the littoral of the White Sea are Lineus ruber (Müller, 1774), L. viridis (Müller,1774), Amphiporus lactifloreus (Johnston, 1828) and Cephalothrix filiformis (Johnston, 1828). Arctostemma arcticum (Uschakov, 1926) is a very common one in the upper muddy subtidal zone up to 7–9 m, where Cephalothrix spp. and Micrura sp. are also not rare. Gurjanovella littoralis Uschakov, 1926, Micrura spp. and Cerebratulus filiformis live in deeper water. The nemertean fauna of the Kandalaksha Bay is the most studied, where 33 species are registered. The greatest contribution to the study of the White Sea nemertean fauna was made by P.V. Uschakov, V.S. Korotkevitsch, A.V. Chernyshev, and S.A. Maslakova.