Description of a new species of Streptosyllis (Polychaeta: Syllidae) from the Mediterranean and Canary Islands with a re-description of Streptosyllis arenae and comments on the taxonomy of Streptosyllis and some morphologically similar genera

Abstract

A new Streptosyllis species, S. nunezi n. sp., is described from shallow sandy substrates in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands. The new species is distinguished by a unique combination of characters: teeth of the shafts of the compound chaetae covered by hyaline hood; 1–2 lateral tips formed by the hyaline hood covering the blades of the compound chaetae; strongly serrated dorsal simple chaetae which appear as 2–4 robust teeth when viewed laterally. The re-description of its closest congener, the type species S. arenae Webster and Benedict, 1884, is also provided based on the type material, as well as a key to the currently valid species and table of characters for the genus. Finally, some comments are made for the characters distinguishing the genera Streptosyllis, Syllides, Anoplosyllis, Astreptosyllis and Streptospinigera, which are listed in a table and a potential key for their identification is proposed.