Redescription of "Terebellides kerguelensis" stat. nov. (Polychaeta: Trichobranchidae) from Antarctic and subantarctic waters

Abstract

During the Spanish Antarctic expeditions “Bentart” 1994, 1995 and 2003, a number of trichobranchid (Annelida: Polychaeta) specimens were collected and identified initially as Terebellides stroemii kerguelensis McIntosh, 1885, the only known species of the genus widely recognised as valid in Antarctic waters. In the framework of a worldwide revision of the genus Terebellides, a reconsideration of the taxonomic status of this subspecies of the boreal Terebellides stroemii Sars, 1835 is done through the examination of the syntypes of T. s. kerguelensis compared with recent descriptions of the nominal species from Norwegian waters and material from Icelandic waters. Thus, T. s. kerguelensis is regarded as a valid species, T. kerguelensis stat. nov., and redescribed designating a lectotype and paralectotypes. The species is mainly characterised by the presence of an anterior branchial extension (fifth lobe), lateral lappets in five anterior thoracic chaetigers, segmental organs in chaetigers 1, 4 and 5, and first thoracic acicular neurochaetae sharply bent with pointed tips. The biological role of the segmental organs, the presence and disposition of cilia in branchial lamellae and the finding of new structures located in dorsal part of thoracic notopodia are discussed.