Sphaerodorids (Polychaeta, Sphaerodoridae) from the continental margin off NW Iberian Peninsula, with first record of Sphaerodoropsis sibuetae and S. amoureuxi since original description

Abstract

Knowledge of the Sphaerodoridae (Annelida, Polychaeta) is still scarce in many parts of the world, including deep-sea waters around the Iberian Peninsula. Study of samples collected between 100-2000 m depth during several oceanographic expeditions done at the Galician Continental Margin (NW Iberian Peninsula) from 2003 to 2009 revealed the presence of six species of sphaerodorid polychaetes. Two species are reported for the first time since the original description, namely Sphaerodoropsis sibuetae Desbruye'res, 1980 and S. amoureuxi Aguirrezabalaga & Ceberio, 2005; these records extend the known distribution of these species to the West of the Atlantic Ocean. All species collected are reported including distribution and ecological data as well as a key to all species known from the Iberian Peninsula.