Spionidae (Annelida: Polychaeta) from the Aegean Sea (eastern Mediterranean)

Abstract

The present paper deals with spionid species (Spionidae) collected from various depths (4-183 m) and biotopes at 100 stations along the eastern part of the Aegean Sea in June-September 2000. A total of 35 species and 16 genera were identified, of which two species (Laonice norgensis and Spiophanes algidus) are new to the Mediterranean fauna, two species (Laonice bahusiensis and Polydora agassizi) are new to the eastern Mediterranean fauna, three species (Prionospio (Prionospio) saccifera, P. (P.) depauperata and Spiophanes afer) are new to the fauna of the Aegean Sea and four species are new to the fauna of Turkey. Prionospio (Prionospio) fallax and P. (P.) steenstrupi were represented by the highest dominance values, and Laonice cirrata and P. (M.) cf. multibranchiata by the highest frequency index values. The maximum number of species (28) were found on muddy bottom at 5-25 m. Nine species [Laonice norgensis, Paraprionospio coora, Polydora cornuta, Prionospio (Prionospio) depauperata, P. (P.) saccifera, P. (Minuspio) pulchra, Pseudopolydora paucibranchiata, Spiophanes algidus and Streblospio gynobranchiata] can be classified as alien. © 2011 Unione Zoologica Italiana.