Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5319 No. 3: 26 Jul. 2023
Type: Article
Published: 2023-07-26
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5319.3.6
Page range: 403-412
Abstract views: 172
PDF downloaded: 21

Two new species and records of the genus Questa (Annelida: Orbiniidae) from Azores and Canary Islands, Central Atlantic Ocean

Laboratorio de Bentos; Departamento de Biología Animal; Edafología y Geología; Sección de Biología; Facultad de Ciencias; Universidad de La Laguna; 38206 La Laguna; Tenerife; Canary Islands; Spain
Molecular Ecology Group; Water Research Institute; National Research Council of Italy; Largo Tonolli 50; 28922 Verbania; Italy
Annelida Taxonomy identification key biodiversity new species meiofauna

Abstract

We here report two new species of meiofaunal orbiniids belonging to the genus Questa Hartman, 1966, which have been discovered during benthic surveys conducted around the Azores and the Canary Islands. The new species, Q. manuelgerardi n. sp. and Questa ericnunezi n. sp., are described, figured and discussed in detail. Questa manuelgerardi n. sp., endemic from the Azores, is characterized by the lack of furcate chaetae and branchiae, and by the presence of two pairs of anal cirri. Questa ericnunezi endemic from the Canary Island, is defined by the presence of furcate chaetae, 12–18 pairs of branchiae, and two pairs of anal cirri. In addition, new records of the species Q. caudicirra Hartman, 1966 are provided. An identification key to the 12 known species of Questa is also included.

 

References

  1. Bleidorn, C. (2005) Phylogenetic relationships and evolution of Orbiniidae (Annelida, Polychaeta) based on molecular data. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 144, 59–73. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.2005.00160.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.2005.00160.x
  2. Brito, M.C. & Núñez, J. (2002) A new genus and species of Questidae (Annelida: Polychaeta) from the Central Macaronesian Region and a cladistic analysis of the family. Sarsia, 87, 281–289. https://doi.org/10.1080/00364820260400780 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00364820260400780
  3. Blake, J.A. (2021) New species and records of Orbiniidae (Annelida, Polychaeta) from continental shelf and slope depths of the Western North Atlantic Ocean. Zootaxa, 4930 (1), 1–123. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4930.1.1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4930.1.1
  4. Delgado, J.D. & Núñez, J. (1993–1994) Presencia de Questa caudicirra Hartman, 1966 (Polychaeta, Questidae) en las Islas Canarias. Miscellania Zoologica, 17, 272–277.
  5. Giere, O. & Erséus, C. (1998) A systematic account of the Questidae (Annelida, Polychaeta), with description of new taxa. Zoologica Scripta, 27 (4), 345–360. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1463-6409.1998.tb00466.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1463-6409.1998.tb00466.x
  6. Giere, O., Ebbe, B. & Erséus, C. (2008) Questa (Annelida, Polychaeta, Orbiniidae) from Pacific regions, news species and reassessment of the genus Periquesta. Elsevier, Organisms, Diversity & Evolution, 7, 304–319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ode.2007.04.001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ode.2007.04.001
  7. Hartman, O. (1942) A review of the types of polychaetous annelids at the Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University. Bulletin of the Bingham Oceanographic Collections, 8, 1–98.
  8. Hartman, O. (1966) Quantitative survey of the benthos of San Pedro Basin, Southern California. Part II. Final results and conclusions. Allan Hancock Pacific Expedition, 19, 187–456.
  9. Hobson, K.D. (1970) Novaquesta trifurcata, a new genus and species of the family Questidae (Annelida, Polychaeta) from Cape Cod Bay. Massachusetts. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 83, 191–194.
  10. Jamieson, B.G.M. & Webb, R.I. (1984) The morphology, spermatozoan ultrastructure and phylogenetic affinities of new species of questid (Polychaeta; Annelida). In: Hutchings, P.A. (Ed.), Proceedings of the 1st International Polychaete Conference, Sydney, Australia. Linnean Society of New South Wales, Sydney, pp. 21–34.
  11. Martínez-García, A., Palmero, A.M., Brito, M.C., Núñez, J. & Worsaae, K. (2009) Anchialine fauna of the Corona lava tube (Lanzarote, Canary Islands): diversity, endemism and distribution. Marine Biodiversity, 39, 169–182. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-009-0023-6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-009-0023-6
  12. Martínez, A., Peixoto, A. J. M., Mikhlina, A. & Di Domenico, M. (2021) Interstitial annelids from the oceanic island of Sao Miguel (Azores, Portugal). Açoreana, Suplemento, 11, 125–139.
  13. Riera, R., Monterroso, Ó., Núñez, J. & Martínez, A. (2016) Distribution of meiofaunal abundances in a marine cave complex with secondary openings and freshwater filtrations. Marine Biodiversity, 48, 203–215. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-016-0586-y DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-016-0586-y
  14. Rouse, G.W. & Fauchald, K. (1997) Cladistics and polychaetes. Zoologica Scripta, 26, 139–204. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1463-6409.1997.tb00412.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1463-6409.1997.tb00412.x
  15. Rousset, V., Pleijel, F., Rouse, G.W., Erséus, C. & Siddall, M.E. (2007) A molecular phylogeny of annelids. Cladistics, 23, 41–63. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-0031.2006.00128.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-0031.2006.00128.x
  16. Somaschini, A. & Gravina, M.F. (1993) First report of Questidae (Annelida, Polychaeta) in the Mediterranean Sea: Questa caudicirra Hartman. Vie Milieu, 43 (1), 59–61.
  17. Westheide, W. (1981) Interstitielle fauna von Galapagos. XXVI. Questidae, Cirratulidae, Acrocirridae, Ctenodrilidae (Polychaeta). Mikrofauna des Meeresbodens, 82, 59–79.
  18. Wilkens, H., Iliffe, T.M., Oromí, P., Martínez, A. & Tysall, T.N. (2009) The Corona lava tube, Lanzarote: geology, habitat diversity and biogeography. Marine Diversity, 39, 155–167. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-009-0019-2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-009-0019-2
  19. Wilson, G. & Hessler, R. (1987) The effects of manganese nodule test mining on the benthic fauna in the North Equatorial Pacific. In: Spiess, F.N., Hessler, R.R., Wilson, G. & Weydert, M. (Eds.), Environmental effects of deep-sea dredging. Final report to the NOAA. Contract NA83-SAC-00659. Scripps Institution, Oceanography References, La Jolla, California, pp. 24–86.
  20. Worsaae, K., Kerbl, A., Domenico, M. D., Gonzalez, B.C., Bekkouche, N. & Martínez, A. (2021) Interstitial annelida. Diversity, 13 (2), 77. https://doi.org/10.3390/d13020077 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/d13020077
  21. WoRMS—World Register of Marine Species (2023) Available from: http://www.marinespecies.org/index.php (accessed 30 March 2023)