Three new species of Laonice (Polychaete: Spionidae) from West and Southwest Africa

Abstract

Three new species of Laonice (Polychaete: Spionidae): L. galatheae, L. cricketae, L. olgae-are described from South and West Africa (along the coast from 31°14.1'S to 04°44'N) based on Danish and South African zoological collections. Arguments relative to the morphological heterogeneity of the genus Laonice are advanced. The arguments are based on the following characters: degree of fusion of prostomium with peristomium at the anterior margin, degree of variability of all numerical characters, arrangement of anterior capillaries in two or more vertical rows, presence or absence of transversal dorsal membranous crests in the "post nuchal organ" and presence of genital pouches only on very limited number of segments or other pattern. Authors think it is obvious today an existence of at least four morphologically separate groups of species inside the Laonice-genus: "L. cirrata", "L. sarsi", "L. appelloefi" and "L. norgensis" groups. Eight species names from 34 valid names in the genus are still with unclear affiliation. L. quadridentata is treated now as a junior synonym of L. brevicornis. An opinion is expressed about L. insolita not belonging to the genus Laonice because of discrepancy the generic diagnosis.

Diversity and distribution of Laonice species (Annelida: Spionidae) in the tropical North Atlantic and Puerto Rico Trench

“…These incomplete and fragmented individuals often lack crucial taxonomic characters, hampering their identification 5 . Nonetheless, the spionid genus Laonice Malmgren, 1867 6 is well studied, especially species from the deep sea of the North Atlantic 7–10 . To facilitate the identification of Laonice species extensive studies on species-specific characters were conducted and four subgenera were suggested based on morphological characters 8,11 .…”

Laonicespecies (Polychaeta, Spionidae) from the Whittard Canyon (NE Atlantic) with descriptions of two new species

“…Sikorski & Pavlova (2016) recognized four morphologically distinct groups within Laonice . We now believe these groups qualify for subgeneric status and formally name them here.…”

“…Nine or ten species belong to this subgenus: L. cirrata; L. brevicornis (Kinberg, 1866); L. bahusiensis Söderström, 1920; L. brevicristata; L. branchiata Nonato et al ., 1986; L. shamrockensis Sikorski, 2003; L. asaccata, L. antipoda Sikorski, 2011, L. cricketae Sikorski & Pavlova, 2016 and maybe L. pinnulata Radashevsky & Lana, 2009 (see Sikorski & Pavlova, 2016).…”

“…Seven species belong to this subgenus: L. japonica (Moore, 1907); L. sarsi Hartman, 1953; L. antarcticae; L. dayianum; L. sinica Sikorski & Wu, 1998; L. rossica ; and L. olgae Sikorski & Pavlova, 2016.…”

“…The genus Laonice was designated by Malmgren (1867) for the species Nerine cirrata Sars, 1851 and in 2003 A. Sikorski produced the generic revision concerning the Arctic and North Atlantic – the type locality of L. cirrata (type species). Sikorski & Pavlova (2016) recognized 34 valid species and four morphologically distinct groups within the genus. The authors are convinced that the groups qualify for subgeneric status.…”