Abstract
The genus Aponuphis, previously known from the eastern North Atlantic and the Mediterranean, is newly reported from Australia. Three new species are described from off Sydney to Wollongong, New South Wales in sandy sediments, in depths of 25–70 m, bringing the number of recognized Aponuphis species to ten. Aponuphis annae n. sp. and A. bellani n. sp. are abranchiate, whilst A. danicae n. sp. has branchiae over a short region of its body. The tubes of A. annae and A. danicae have a fragile mucous consistency with attached sand grains and that of A. bellani is transparent, tight-fitting and smooth. Two specimens of A. annae were collected with developing juveniles in their tubes demonstrating their direct development but the reproductive mode of the other two species is not known. The distinguishing characteristics of all recognized species are tabled and a key to the three Australian species is presented.
References
Arias, A. & Paxton, H. (2015) Onuphis and Aponuphis (Annelida: Onuphidae) from southwestern Europe, with the description of a new species. Zootaxa, 3949 (3), 345–369.
https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3949.3.3Arias, A., Núñez, J. & Paxton, H. (2017) Onuphid polychaetes associated with the Cymodocea nodosa meadows of La Gomera (Canary Islands, NW Africa) – new species and new records from the eastern North Atlantic. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 97 (5), 857–869.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315417000194Audouin, J.V. & Milne Edwards, H. (1833) Classification des Annélides et description de celles qui habitant les côtes de la France. Annales des sciences naturelles, 29, 195–269.
Baird, W. (1870) Remarks on several genera of annelids belonging to the group Eunicea with a notice of such species as are contained in the collection of the British Museum and a description of some others hitherto undescribed. Journal of the Linnean Society of London, 10, 341–361.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1869.tb00665.xBerkeley, C. (1967) A check list of Polychaeta recorded from British Columbia since 1923, with references to name-changes descriptions and synonymies. 1. Errantia. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 45, 1049–1059.
https://doi.org/10.1139/z67-114Berkeley, C. (1972) Further records of Polychaeta new to British Columbia with comments on some others. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 50, 451–456.
https://doi.org/10.1139/z72-063Budaeva, N., Schepetov, D., Zanol, J., Neretina, T. & Willassen, E. (2016) When molecules support morphology: Phylogenetic reconstruction of the family Onuphidae (Eunicida, Annelida) based on 16S rDNA and 18S rDNA. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 94, 791–801.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2015.10.011Cantone, G. & Bellan, G. (1996) Aponuphis willsiei, una nuova specie di Onuphidae (Annelida, Polychaeta) delle coste marsigliesi. Animalia, 21 (1/3), 27–30.
Claparède, E. (1868) Les Annélides Chétopodes du Golfe de Naples. Mémoires de la Société de physique et d'histoire naturelle de Genève, 19, 313–584.
Clark, R.B. & Dawson, P.G. (1963) On some polychaetes from the Firth of Clyde and the West of Scotland. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 13, 6 (71), 641–657.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00222936308651411Detinova, N.N. (1985) Polychaetous annelids of Rejkjanes Ridge (North Atlantic). Transactions of the P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, 120, 96–136. [in Russian]
Fauvel, P. (1916) Deux polychètes nouvelles (Disoma Watsoni n. sp. et Hyalinoecia Brementi n. sp.). Bulletin d'Institut Oceanographique, Monaco, 316, 1–10.
Fauvel, P. (1928) Annélides Polychètes nouvelles du Maroc. Bulletin de la Société Zoologique de France, 53, 9–13.
Kinberg, J.C.H. (1865) Annulata nova. Öfversigt af Königlich Vetenskapsakademiens förhandlingar (Stockholm), 21, 559–574.
Kucheruk, N.V. (1978) Deep-water Onuphidae (Polychaeta) from the collections of the 16th cruise of the R/V Dmitry Mendeleev (to the generic classification of the family Onuphidae). Trudy Institutyi Okeanologii Akademia Nauk SSSR, 113, 88–106.
Malmgren, A.J. (1866) Annulata Polychaeta Spetsbergiae, Groenlandiae, Islandiae et Scandinaviae hactenus cognita. Ex Officina Frenckelliana, Helsingfors, 127 pp.
Marenzeller, E. von (1886) Poriferen, Anthozoen, Ctenophoren und Würmer von Jan Mayen. In: Wilczek, H. & von Wohlgemuth, E.C. (Eds.), Die Internationale Polarforschung 1882–1883. Die Österreichische Polarstation Jan Mayen, Beobachtungs-Ergebnisse. Vol. 3. Kaiserliche Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna, 50 pp.
Paxton, H. (1986) Generic revision and relationships of the family Onuphidae (Annelida: Polychaeta). Records of the Australian Museum, 38, 1–74.
https://doi.org/10.3853/j.0067-1975.38.1986.175Paxton, H. (1998) The Diopatra chiliensis confusion – redescription of D. chiliensis (Polychaeta, Onuphidae) and implicated species. Zoologica Scripta, 27, 31–48.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1463-6409.1998.tb00427.xPaxton, H. (2000) Family Onuphidae. In: Beesley, P.L., Ross, G.J.B. & Glasby, C.J. (Eds.), Polychaetes and Allies: The Southern Synthesis. Vol. 4A. Polychaeta, Myzostomida, Pogonophora, Echiura, Sipuncula. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne, pp. 99–104.
Rioja, E. (1918) Datos para el conocimiento de la fauna de anélidos poliquetos del Cantábrico (2a Parte). Trabajos del Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid, Serie Zoológica, 37, 1–99.