Two new species of Turbanellidae (Gastrotricha: Macrodasyida) from a high‐energy beach on North Stradbroke Island, Australia

Abstract

s Two new species of macrodasyidan gastrotrichs were found in coarse intertidal sands of Frenchmans Beach, a high‐energy beach facing the South Pacific Ocean, on the eastern side of North Stradbroke Island, Australia. Paraturbanella stradbroki n. sp. is up to 665 μm long and is distinguished from its congeners by the shape of the head, the presence of dorsal and lateral adhesive tubes, the pattern of locomotor cilia, and the lack of piston pits and a median caudal cone. Turbanella brusci n. sp. is up to 1002 μm long and is characterised by the shape of the head, the presence of three paired columns of dorsal, lateral, and ventrolateral adhesive tubes, a median caudal cone, and the lack of “cirrata” tubes. The ventrolateral adhesive tubes are symmetrically aligned beneath the lateral adhesive tubes and are considered unique to the genus. This constitutes the first report of Paraturbanella and Turbanella from Australian waters.