Review of the Priapulida of New Zealand with the description of a new species

Abstract

The number of priapulid species occurring in the waters around New Zealand is uncertain, as up to four species were reported and three of them declared as doubtful. Our investigation of 28 specimens from the NIWA collection (Auckland, New Zealand) document three species. Three specimens of Priapulus tuberculatospinosus come from circum-antarctic waters. Around New Zealand, Priapulopsis australis is most abundant, less abundant is Priapulus tuberculatospinosus. Two specimens are described here as a new species, Priapulopsis papillatus sp. nov., as they deviate in several characters from the other species. These characters are the shape of the first ring teeth, presence of large, abundant and regularly arranged trunk papillae, a peculiar surface structure of the trunk and peculiarities in the posterior ringpapillae. All species are described by scanning electron microscopy and several new observations are reported. In addition to postlarval and adult specimens, 15 larval specimens are reported. The larvae resemble very much the previously described larvae of Priapulopsis bicaudatus and therefore likely belong to the genus Priapulopsis.