[Invertebrate • 2018] Diversity and Evolution of the Stygobitic Speleonerilla nom. nov. (Nerillidae, Annelida) with Description of Three New Species from Anchialine Caves in the Caribbean and Lanzarote
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| Speleonerilla saltatrix (Worsaae et al. 2004) Speleonerilla Worsaae, Sterrer & Iliffe, 2018
in Worsaae, Gonzalez, Kerbl, Nielsen, Jørgensen, et al., 2018.
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Abstract
Anchialine caves have revealed a variety of highly adapted animals
including several records of nerillid annelids. However, only one
stygobitic lineage, Speleonerilla nom. nov. (previously known as Longipalpa),
seems obligate to this environment. We here provide new information on
this lineage including the description of three new species, two new
records, and the first phylogeny of the genus. All species have been
collected from the water column of anchialine caves in the Caribbean,
Bermuda, and Canary Islands, contrary to their benthic and interstitial
nerillid relatives. New species were described combining light, scanning
electron, and confocal laser scanning microscopy and named after
traditional dances from their corresponding countries. Speleonerilla isa sp. n.
is morphologically the most divergent species, characterized by the
presence of nine segments, two pairs of spermioducts, and parapodial
cirri present on all segments. Speleonerilla calypso sp. n. and S. salsa sp. n. are mainly distinguished from S. saltatrix
by the presence of one additional pair of nephridia and are diagnosed
based on unique combinations of characters including the specific
arrangements of trunk ciliation, parapodial cirri, and number of
chaetae. Two additional records from anchialine caves in Northeast Cuba
and México were not described due to limited available material.
Phylogenetic analyses of four molecular markers recovered the East
Atlantic S. isa as sister to a clade containing the West Atlantic
species, the interrelationship of which did not further reflect the
geographical distances within the Caribbean. Evolutionary adaptations
are discussed, such as the long ciliated palps and pygidial lobes of Speleonerilla used
for swimming and their high tolerance to changing salinities when
apparently feeding on bacteria in the halocline of the anchialine cave
systems.
Keywords: Interstitial, Cave fauna, Meiofauna, Troglomorphism, Stygofauna
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| Drawing of Speleonerilla saltatrix (Worsaae et al. 2004),
scale bar 100 μm
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Family Nerillidae Levinsen, 1883
Genus Speleonerilla Worsaae, Sterrer & Iliffe, 2018.
Speleonerilla is new replacement name for Longipalpa Worsaae, Sterrer & Iliffe, 2004
[preoccupied: Longipalpa Pagenstecher, 1900 (Insecta: Lepidoptera) (see Pagenstecher,1900)].
Remarks: A new generic name, Speleonerilla nov. nom., is here proposed in order to eliminate the homonymy between the genera Longipalpa Pagenstecher, 1900, junior synonymy of Bytharia Walker, 1865 (Geometridae, Lepidoptera) (see Walker, 1865) and Longipalpa Worsaae, Sterrer and Iliffe, 2004 (Nerillidae, Annelida).
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Speleonerilla calypso sp. n.
Etymology: The species is named after the dance calypso, which originated in Trinidad & Tobago and later spread to other Caribbean Islands, including the Bahamas.
Speleonerilla salsa sp. n.
Etymology: The species is named after the dance salsa, the musical roots of which lie in Eastern Cuba.
Speleonerilla isa sp. n.
Etymology: The species is named after the Canarian traditional folk dance “isa” from Lanzarote.
Katrine Worsaae, Brett C. Gonzalez, Alexandra Kerbl, Sofie Holdflod
Nielsen, Julie Terp Jørgensen, Maickel Armenteros, Thomas M. Iliffe and
Alejandro Martínez. 2018. Diversity and Evolution of the Stygobitic Speleonerilla nom. nov. (Nerillidae, Annelida) with Description of Three New Species from Anchialine Caves in the Caribbean and Lanzarote. Marine Biodiversity DOI: 10.1007/s12526-018-0906-5
