Spiophanes species (Polychaeta: Spionidae) from Eastern Australia—with descriptions of new species, new records and an emended generic diagnosis

Abstract

The Spiophanes fauna from Eastern Australia is described, and includes 5 new species (S. modestus, S. viriosus, S. prestigium, S. pisinnus, S. dubitalis) and 1 new record (S. japonicum Imajima, 1991). The generic diagnosis of Spiophanes is revised based on type and non-type material of all species in the genus, and a critical evaluation is also given of the characters previously used to distinguish Spiophanes species. A new diagnostic character, the appearance of gland openings exhibiting a chaetal spreader on the anterior chaetigers of the middle body region, is described. Spiophanes japonicum is removed from synonymy with S. berkeleyorum Pettibone, 1962. Spiophanes urceolata Imajima, 1991, is synonymized with S. wigleyi Pettibone, 1962. A key to all Spiophanes species known from Eastern Australia is given.