Caulleryaspis chicosciencei: a new species from Brazil (Annelida, Sternaspidae)

Abstract

AbstractOne new species of Caulleryaspis Sendall & Salazar-Vallejo, 2013 (Annelida: Sternaspidae), C. chicosciencei sp. nov., is described based on material collected in north-eastern Brazil. Specimens were collected in muddy bottoms in the Suape estuary complex in 7–16 m water depth. Caulleryaspis chicosciencei sp. nov. differs from the other known species by the combination of the following characters: small size, abundant cirriform papillae evenly distributed throughout body; chaetigers of introvert with 18–21 falcate hooks per bundle; ventral shield without ribs and undeveloped concentric lines, covered by long cirriform papillae with sediment particles adhered; marginal chaetal fascicles include eight lateral shield chaetae in an oval arrangement, and six posterior shield chaetae in slightly curved pattern. Caulleryaspis chicosciencei sp. nov. is the first species of the genus Caulleryaspis described from Brazil and it increases the number of sternaspids recorded from shallow water in the south-western Atlantic Ocean.