Bathysabellaria spinifera Polychaeta Sabellariidae, a new species from deep water off New Caledonia, southwest Pacific Ocean
Lechapt, J.-Paul.; Kirtley, D.W.
Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 109(3): 560-574
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0006-324X
Accession: 037917842
A new species of the genus Bathysabellaria Lechapt & Gruet, 1993, is described from New Caledonia (southwest Pacific Ocean). Bathysabellaria spinifera, new species, is known from depths between 570 and 700 m. The only other described species in this genus is the type species, Bathysabellaria neocaledoniensis Lechapt & Gruet, 1993, which also occurs off New Caledonia at more shallow depths; between 440 to 450 m. Bathysabellaria spinifera differs from the type species in having two forms of opercular paleae in the inner row instead of a single kind. The presence of a ventral median organ near the anterior end of the prostomium is described. This feature has not been previously noted in species of Sabellariidae. A table of the primary diagnostic characters that distinguish Bathysabellaria from other known genera in the subfamily Lygdaminae Kirtley, 1994, is included.