New Records for The Solenogaster Proneomenia Sluiteri (Mollusca) from Icelandic Waters and Description of Proneomenia Custodiens sp. n.

Abstract

Abstract During August–September 2011, scientists aboard the R/V Meteor sampled marine animals around Iceland for the IceAGE project (Icelandic marine Animals: Genetics and Ecology). The last sample was taken at a site known as “The Rose Garden” off northeastern Iceland and yielded a large number of two species of Proneomenia (Mollusca, Aplacophora, Solenogastres, Cavibelonia, Proneomeniidae). We examined isolated sclerites, radulae, and histological section series for both species. The first, Proneomenia sluiteri Hubrecht, 1880, was originally described from the Barents Sea. This is the first record of this species in Icelandic waters. However, examination of aplacophoran lots collected during the earlier BIOICE campaign revealed additional Icelandic localities from which this species was collected previously. The second represents a new species of Proneomenia, which, unlike other known representatives of the genus, broods juveniles in the mantle cavity. We provide a formal description, proposing the name Proneomenia custodiens sp. n. Interestingly, the sclerites of brooded juveniles are scales like those found in the putatively plesiomorphic order Pholidoskepia rather than hollow needles like those of the adults of this species. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) DNA barcode sequences are provided for both species of Proneomenia.