Three new deep-sea species of Marphysa (Annelida, Eunicida, Eunicidae) from Papua New Guinea (Bismarck and Solomon seas)

Abstract

Three new species of Marphysa Quatrefages, 1866, Marphysa bananasp. nov., Marphysa papuaensissp. nov., and Marphysa zanolaesp. nov. are described from deep-sea sunken vegetation off Papua New Guinea, using both morphology and molecular data (for two species). With the presence of compound spinigers only and the branchiae present over many chaetigers, Marphysa bananasp. nov. belongs to the group B2. This species is characterised by the presence of eyes, the presence of branchiae starting from chaetiger 20, and by the presence of three types of pectinate chaetae and bidentate subacicular hooks starting from chaetigers 13–52. With the presence of compound falcigers only and the branchiae restricted to a short anterior region, Marphysa papuaensissp. nov. belongs to the group C1. This species has a bilobed prostomium but no eyes, has branchiae from chaetigers 7 to 14–16 with up to 16 filaments. Marphysa papuaensissp. nov. is also characterised by the presence of bidentate subacicular hooks from chaetiger 20 and by a single type of pectinate chaetae. Finally, Marphysa zanolaesp. nov. belongs to the group C2, with the presence of compound falcigers only and the branchiae present over many chaetigers. This species is characterised by the absence of eyes, by the presence of branchiae with a single long filament starting from chaetiger 31, by unidentate subacicular hooks starting from chaetiger 28 and finally by one type of pectinate chaetae with very long outer teeth.

Five new species of Terebellides (Annelida, Polychaeta, Trichobranchidae) from Papua New Guinea (Bismarck and Solomon seas)

“…Thousands of polychaetes belonging to many families were collected and stored in the MNHN collection and are available for examination and description, including new species. For example, these samples allowed us to recently describe three deep-sea species of Marphysa Quatrefages, 1866 (Lavesque et al, 2022). During a workshop organized by MNHN in 2021 to sort these samples, numerous spaghetti worms (i.e., terebellids and trichobranchids) were found, and molecular analysis confirmed the presence of a large number of undescribed species which will be described in a series of papers including this one.…”

A new species of Loimia (Annelida, Terebellidae) from Papua New Guinea, with comments on other species recorded in the region

“…Despite being considered as a marine biodiversity hotspot, the polychaete fauna of 2 Hutchings et al Papua New Guinea (PNG) is poorly known (Lavesque et al, 2022). A few years ago, we had the opportunity to collect a species of Loimia from intertidal area in far eastern and northern PNG, which, in this study, we describe as a new species, L. lanai n.…”

Sources of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Fecal Pellets of a Marphysa Species (Annelida: Eunicidae) in the Yoro Tidal Flat, Japan

“…Polychaetes of the genus Marphysa (Annelida, Eunicidae) usually inhabit tidal flats and rocky shores across various coasts of the world (Lavesque et al, 2022). Some Marphysa species inhabiting tidal flats are assumed to play an important role in the material cycle and movement in the coastal environment by forming deep burrows into the sediment (Lewis and Karageorgopoulos, 2008; Kara et al, 2020).…”