Pleijel, Fredrik; Rouse, Greg W; Nygren, Arne (2012). A revision of Nereimyra (Psamathini, Hesionidae, Aciculata, Annelida). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 164(1): 36-51.
Hesionidae, Aciculata, Annelida). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
164(1), 36-51
Publication
World Polychaeta Database
Nereimyra Blainville, 1828 (Psamathini, Hesionidae, Aciculata, Annelida) is revised based on examination of all available types and newly collected specimens. We assessed the phylogeny of Nereimyra in an analysis based on cytochrome oxidase c subunit I (COI), 16S rDNA, 18S rDNA, and 28S rDNA. The genus is delineated to include the three species Nereimyra aphroditoides (Fabricius, 1780), Nereimyra punctata (O.F. Muller, 1776), and Nereimyra woodsholea (Hartman, 1965), which are redescribed. Nereimyra punctata has a characteristic pigmentation, but otherwise there are no clear morphological characters for separating the species. Based on the molecular data we obtained strong support both for the monophyly of Nereimyra and for each of the three included species. Nereimyra punctata and N. woodsholea are sister species, and the Kimura two-parameter (K2P)-corrected COI distances between the three species are 1623%. Syllidia Quatrefages, 1866, is sister group to Nereimyra. Previous uncertainties regarding the type species of the genus are settled to Nereis rosea Fabricius, 1780, junior synonym of N. aphroditoides. A neotype is designated for N. aphroditoides. The distribution of Nereimyra is at present restricted to the Arctic and the boreal parts of the North Atlantic, possibly extending to the Gulf of Mexico on the United States east coast. Records outside this area require verification. Castalia multipapillata Theel, 1879, and Nereimyra alvinae Blake, 1985, are of uncertain affinity and are treated as nomina dubia.
