Description of Scoloplos maranhensis sp. nov. (Orbiniidae, Annelida) from tropical Brazilian mangrove

Abstract

A new species of orbiniid, Scoloplos maranhensis sp. nov., is described from a tropical mangrove (Quebra Pote, state of Maranhão, Brazil, 02°41.344'S; 44°12.604'W) along with a comparative table with all Scoloplos species. The main distinguishing characters of S. maranhensis sp. nov. are thorax with 12 chaetigers, neuropodia from first chaetiger, notopodia and neuropodia without papillae, conical branchiae from 12th chaetiger to the end of the body, being larger and more robust in the anterior segments. Thoracic notopodia with seven crenulated capillary chaetae and abdominal notopodia with furcated and capillary chaetae. Thoracic neuropodia rounded with two crenulated capillary chaetae and six slender-smooth hooks, abdominal neuropodia with a post-chaetal lobe and only capillary chaetae. Papillae absent from posterior parapodia; one pair of cirriform anal cirri.

New species and records of deep-water Orbiniidae (Annelida, Polychaeta) from the Eastern Pacific continental slope, abyssal Pacific Ocean, and the South China Sea

“…Many species, however, are poorly known and often have not been reported or redescribed since their original account. The most recent paper on Scoloplos is by Oliveira et al (2019), who described a new species, S. maranhensis Oliveira et al, 2019, from shallow-water mangrove habitats in Brazil and provided a comparative table listing characters of the known species of the genus. Unfortunately, their new species should be referred to the genus Leodamas as redefined by Blake (2017), not Scoloplos and is similar to Leodamas texana (Maciolek & Holland, 1978) from the Gulf of Mexico.…”

“…Unfortunately, their new species should be referred to the genus Leodamas as redefined by Blake (2017), not Scoloplos and is similar to Leodamas texana (Maciolek & Holland, 1978) from the Gulf of Mexico. The table in Oliveira et al (2019) listing 30 species of Scoloplos, therefore, includes several species that do not belong in the genus Scoloplos and should be used with caution. With the removal of those four species and the description of two new species in the present study, the total number of known Scoloplos species is 28, of which only the following five occur in depths exceeding 1000 m: Blake, 2017.…”