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Issue: Vol. 5759 No. 4: 18 Feb. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-02-18
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5759.4.3
Page range: 412-432
Abstract views: 36
PDF downloaded: 3

Exploration of the Iziko South African Museum's polychaete collection and description of new species of Spaghetti worms (Annelida, Terebelliformia), part two

Univ. Bordeaux; CNRS; Bordeaux INP; EPOC; UMR 5805; Arcachon; France.
Australian Museum Research Institute; Australian Museum; NSW 2010; Sydney; Australia.; Marine Ecology Group; School of Natural Sciences; Faculty of Science and Engineering; Wallumattagal Campus; Macquarie University; NSW 2109; Australia.
Annelida new species Thelepus morphology Spaghetti worms taxonomy southern Africa

Abstract

In this study, we redescribe Thelepus pequenianus Augener, 1918 and describe five new species of Thelepus from the southern Africa region, based on specimens stored for several decades in the Iziko South African Museum in Cape Town. Thelepus branchi sp. nov., has branchiae separated by a wide medial gap and with the first pair having about 15 filaments, the notopodia present on about the anterior 50% of the body, the uncini with a terminal dorsal button and a straight base, and finally a pygidium crenulated, without papillae. Thelepus dayi. sp. nov., lacks eyespots, has notopodia present almost to the pygidium, the branchial filaments arising from glandular patches with a large medial gap between them, and the uncini with a terminal dorsal button and a short ventral prow. Thelepus mandelai sp. nov., is the only African species with the uncini arranged in complete circular loops. Thelepus mozambiquensis sp. nov., has notopodia present on half of its body and the number of branchial filaments decreasing substantially from 1st to 3rd pair of branchiae, which are separated by a large medial gap, the uncini with a terminal dorsal button and a strongly curved base, and the pygidium slightly crenulated. Finally, the fifth new species, T. ubebe sp. nov., has eyespots, about the same number of branchial filaments on all three pairs of branchiae, which arise from small glandular patches with a small medial gap, the notopodia limited to the anterior third of the body, the uncini with a sub-terminal dorsal button and the pygidium with short papillae.

 

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How to Cite

Lavesque, N. & Hutchings, P. (2026) Exploration of the Iziko South African Museum’s polychaete collection and description of new species of Spaghetti worms (Annelida, Terebelliformia), part two. Zootaxa, 5759 (4), 412–432. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5759.4.3