New species of Annelida of the Australian Indian Ocean Territory (Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands) seamounts
Abstract
Research voyages aboard the Australian RV, Investigator, in 2021 (IN2021_V08) and 2022 (IN2022_V04) sampled benthic communities from seamounts off Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, collectively known as the Australian Indian Ocean Territories (IOT). Annelid specimens collected during these voyages were deposited at the Australian Museum, and 13 species from the families Aphroditidae and Serpulidae have previously been described. In this study, we described seven new species: two in Onuphidae (Anchinothria pettiboneae sp. nov. and Nothria multisetosa sp. nov.), three in Polynoidae (Admetella longilamella sp. nov., Gorgoniapolynoe unidentata sp. nov., and Harmothoe robinwilsoni sp. nov.), and a new genus, Terebellosuctoria, with two new species (Terebellosuctoria jimii sp. nov. and T. keelingensis sp. nov.) in Terebellidae. A specimen of Nothria (AM W.54655), represented by a single individual, likely constitutes a new species but is not formally described here. The geographic ranges of the onuphids Nothria orensanzi, N. simplex, and Hyalinoecia robusta, as well as of the polynoid Anotochaetonoe michelbhaudii, are extended. Additionally, two polynoid specimens are identified as belonging to undescribed species within a potential new genus, which will be addressed in future work. All species descriptions are supported by DNA sequence data, and their phylogenetic positions within their respective families are assessed.
