A new species of Chaetopterus (Annelida, Chaetopteridae) from Hong Kong

Abstract

A new species, Chaetopterus qiani sp. nov., is described based on 18 specimens collected from a fish farm in Hong Kong. This species is small (body length: 11. 5–35.5 mm), with nine, five and 10–16 chaetigers in regions A, B and C, respectively. It belongs to a small group of epibenthic Chaetopterus species with long notopodia in region C. This species can be distinguished from other epibenthic Chaetopterus by a combination of the following features: up to 16 lightbrownish cutting chaetae in A4, wide neuropodia in A9, large wing-shaped notopodia in B1, 10–16 chaetigers in region C, long club-shaped notopodia and a short conical dorsal cirrus in the dorsal lingule of neuropodia in region C. A key to Chaetopterus from the Pacific region is provided.