A new ophryotrocha species (Polychaeta: Dorvilleidae) from circalittoral seabeds of the Cantabrian Sea (north-east Atlantic Ocean)

Abstract

One new dorvilleid species belonging to the genus Ophryotrocha Claparède & Mecznikow, 1869 is described. The studied material was collected in circalittoral seabeds (70–100 m depth) in the Cantabrian Sea (north-east Atlantic Ocean). The new species Ophryotrocha cantabrica is characterized by having well-developed antennae and palps, parapodia with long dorsal cirrus, sub-triangular acicular lobes and inferior chaetal lobe well-developed, as well as the presence of P-type maxillae and bifid mandibles slightly tagged. The most closely related Ophryotrocha species are O. longidentata Josefson, 1975 and O. lobifera Oug, 1978; however, both species have biarticulated palps. Other differences with O. cantabrica sp. nov. are: body size and shape, parapodia morphology and number of setae, as well as the shape of mandibles and maxillae.