Three new meiofaunal solenogaster species (Mollusca: Aplacophora) from the north-east Pacific

Abstract

Many species of Solenogastres (Mollusca: Aplacophora) have been described from relatively remote locations or the deep sea. However, knowledge of the diversity of this group of carnivorous molluscs remains incomplete, even in relatively accessible, shallow localities. Here, we describe three new species of interstitial solenogasters from a well-studied site virtually right off the dock of Friday Harbor Laboratories (WA, USA). Two new species of Macellomenia, M. schanderi sp. nov. and M. morseae sp. nov, are described, greatly expanding the biogeographic range of this genus previously only known from the Atlantic. Interestingly, M. schanderi appears to be more similar to the Atlantic M. adenota Salvini-Plawen, 2003a than the co-occurring M. morseae. However, the one specimen of M. morseae we were able to examine by histology was a juvenile, so the adult condition of some characters (mostly dealing with the reproductive system) are unknown. Additionally, a new species of Hypomenia, H. sanjuanensis sp. nov, is described, also extending the geographic range of this previously monotypic genus known only from the Gulf of Naples, Italy. DNA barcode sequences are provided to aid in the identification of M. schanderi, H. sanjuanensis, and the previously described sympatric species Meiomenia swedmarki Morse, 1979.http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:87E88772-B9BC-4BE6-93AB-C19FD944DD23