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Two new records and description of a new Perinereis (Annelida, Nereididae) species for the Saudi Arabian Red Sea region.

Authors :
Teixeira MAL
Fourreau CJL
Sempere-Valverde J
Carvalho S
Source :
ZooKeys [Zookeys] 2024 Apr 01; Vol. 1196, pp. 331-354. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Apr 01 (Print Publication: 2024).
Publication Year :
2024

Abstract

Annelid biodiversity studies in the Red Sea are limited and integrative taxonomy is needed to accurately improve reference libraries in the region. As part of the bioblitz effort in Saudi Arabia to assess the invertebrate biodiversity in the northern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba, Perinereis specimens from intertidal marine and lagoon-like rocky environments were selected for an independent assessment, given the known taxonomic ambiguities in this genus. This study used an integrative approach, combining molecular with morphological and geographic data. Our results demonstrate that specimens found mainly in the Gulf of Aqaba are not only morphologically different from other five similar Perinereis Group I species reported in the region, but phylogenetic analysis using available COI sequences from GenBank revealed different molecular operational taxonomic units, suggesting an undescribed species, P.kaustiana sp. nov. The new species is genetically close and shares a similar paragnath pattern to the Indo-Pacific distributed P.helleri , in particular in Area III and Areas VII-VIII. Therefore, we suggest it may belong to the same species complex. However, P.kaustiana sp. nov. differs from the latter mainly in the shorter length of the postero-dorsal tentacular cirri, median parapodia with much longer dorsal Tentacular cirri, posteriormost parapodia with much wider and greatly expanded dorsal ligules. Additionally, two new records are reported for the Saudi Neom area belonging to P.damietta and P.suezensis , previously described only for the Egyptian coast (Suez Canal) and are distributed sympatrically with the new species, but apparently not sympatric with each other.<br />Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.<br /> (Marcos A. L. Teixeira, Chloé Julie Loïs Fourreau, Juan Sempere-Valverde, Susana Carvalho.)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1313-2989
Volume :
1196
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
ZooKeys
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
38726099
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1196.115260