Taxonomy and distribution of Terebellides (Polychaeta: Trichobranchidae) in the northern South China Sea, with description of three new species

The Terebelliformia-Recent Developments and Future Directions

Terebelliformia comprises a large group of sedentary polychaetes which live from the intertidal to the deep sea. The majority live in tubes and are selective deposit feeders. This study synthesises the current knowledge of this group, including their distribution, in the different biogeographic regions. We highlight the new methodologies being used to describe them and the resolution of species complexes occurring in the group. The main aim of this review is to highlight the knowledge gaps and to stimulate research in those directions, which will allow for knowledge of their distribution and abundances to be used by ecologists and managers.

To name but a few: descriptions of five new species of Terebellides (Annelida, Trichobranchidae) from the North East Atlantic

The number of described species of the genus Terebellides Sars, 1835 (Annelida, Trichobranchidae) has greatly increased in the last years, particularly in the North East Atlantic. In this context, this paper deals with several putative species recently delineated by molecular means within a well delimited clade of Terebellides. Species are characterised here by a combination of morphological characters, and a complementary nucleotide diagnostic approach. Three species were identified as the nominal species T.stroemii Sars, 1835, T.bigeniculatus Parapar, Moreira & Helgason, 2011 and T.europaeaLavesque et al., 2019. Five species are described as new: T.bakkenisp. nov., T.kongsrudisp. nov., T.norvegicasp. nov., T.ronningaesp. nov. and T.scoticasp. nov. The distinctive morphological characters refer to the branchial shape, absence or presence of papillae on lamellae of anterior margin of branchial dorsal lobes, absence or presence of ciliated papillae dorsal to thoracic notopodia, geniculate chaetae in one or two chaetigers, and the morphology of thoracic and abdominal uncini teeth. Furthermore, the description of T.bigeniculatus is revised and complemented after examination of type specimens. An updated identification key to all species of the genus in NE Atlantic and a proposal of a classification of different types of abdominal uncini to be used in taxonomy are also included.