Di Domenico, Maikon; Martínez, Alejandro; Worsaae, Katrine. (2019). Saccocirridae (Annelida) from the Canary Islands with a description of Saccocirrus slateri sp. nov. Marine Biodiversity. 49: 2125–2139 (efirst 11 October 2019).
World Polychaeta Database (WPolyDb). Closed access
Two species of Saccocirrus, S. slateri sp. nov. and S. parvus Gerlach, 1953 are recorded from samples collected in nine sandy beaches throughout the Canary Islands. Detailed descriptions combining live observations with light and electron scanning microscopy are provided for each species, as well as an updated molecular phylogeny of the genus including all described European species. Saccocirrus slateri sp. nov. was found in sediments exposed to strong wave action along beaches and piers of Tenerife and La Palma islands, while S. parvus was found in more sheltered subtidal environments of Tenerife, La Palma, and Lanzarote islands. Saccocirrus slateri sp. nov. resembles the European S. papillocercus but differs in possessing a longer trunk, more segments, and hooked chaetae. Saccocirrus parvus from Canary Island fits the description of S. parvus but differs in the presence of unequal prongs in the longest chaeta and minor details regarding the arrangement of the gonads. These differences are considered to be intraspecific variation given that the available DNA sequences are identical, and we here provide an emended description. The description of S. slateri sp. nov. increases the number of species of Saccocirridae to 23. We discuss habitat preferences of the genus Saccocirrus in the light of this newly available information. author email: maik2dd@gmail.com
