Description and Relationships of Chaetopterus pugaporcinus, an Unusual Pelagic Polychaete (Annelida, Chaetopteridae)
Abstract
An extraordinary new species, Chaetopterus pugaporcinus, is described from eight specimens collected from deep mesopelagic waters off Monterey Bay, California, by remotely operated vehicles. All specimens exhibit a consistent combination of both adult and larval characteristics, leaving in question the maturity of the specimens. All specimens lack ciliated larval bands and the stout, modified chaetae (cutting spines) typically found in segment A4 of chaetopterids. If the specimens described here are larvae, they are remarkable for their size, which ranged from 10 to 21 mm total length, nearly twice the length of the largest polychaete larvae previously reported and 5 to 10 times larger than known chaetopterid larvae. Then too, their lack of segment addition prior to settlement would be atypical. If adult, they are particularly unusual in their habitat choice and body form. Morphology of the uncini and comparison to larval morphology indicated a close relationship to either Chaetopterus or Mesochaetopterus. However, the lack of cutting spines and typical adult morphology made it impossible to determine to what genus this species should be allied. Thus, we carried out the first molecular phylogenetic analysis of the Chaetopteridae in order to appropriately place and name the new species. Three partial genes were sequenced for 21 annelid species. The sequencing also provides the first molecular evidence that Chaetopterus variopedatus sensu Hartman (1959) is not a single cosmopolitan species. The question of C. pugaporcinus being a delayed larva or a genuine holopelagic chaetopterid is discussed.
Additional Information
© 2007 Marine Biological Laboratory. Received 14 November 2005; accepted 24 October 2006. We are indebted to Fredrik Pleijel, Eijiroh Nishi, Robert Vrijenhoek, Shane Anderson, and Megan Dethier for providing specimens. Steve Haddock, Christy Schnitzler, W. Joseph Jones, C. Robert Young, and Lynne Christianson were extremely helpful with the molecular portion of the project. Jonathon Krupp and Kurt Buck were very helpful with the SEM work. Thanks also to the pilots of the ROVs Ventana and Tiburon, and the crews of the RVs Point Lobos and Western Flyer for their expertise and dedication to the exploration of the deep sea. Thanks to two reviewers for suggestions that improved the manuscript. A particular thanks is due Mary Petersen for advice and suggestions that greatly improved the manuscript. The David and Lucile Packard Foundation provided support for this project through the MBARI Midwater Ecology Group.Attached Files
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Additional details
- Eprint ID
- 76358
- Resolver ID
- CaltechAUTHORS:20170408-172923415
- David and Lucile Packard Foundation
- Created
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2018-03-29Created from EPrint's datestamp field
- Updated
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2021-11-15Created from EPrint's last_modified field