Borisova P.B.1, Schepetov D.M.2, Budaeva N.E.3 2018. Aponuphis Kucheruk, 1978 (Annelida: Onuphidae) from western African waters // Invertebrate Zoology. Vol.15. No.1: 19–41 [in English].

1 Biological Faculty, Moscow State University, Leninskiye Gory 1-12, Moscow 119234 Russia. E-mail: salixhastata@yandex.ru

2 Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology Russian Academy of Sciences, 26 Vavilov Str., Moscow 119334 Russia.

3 Department of Natural History, University Museum of Bergen, University of Bergen, Allйgaten 41, 5007 Bergen, Norway. E-mail: nataliya.budaeva@uib.no

ABSTRACT: Ninety-one specimens of Aponuphis from 27 stations off the western African coast from Morocco to Angola as well as from two localities in the North Sea and from a single locality off Mallorca in the Mediterranean Sea were examined using light and scanning electron microscopy. A fragment of 16 rDNA was obtained for 29 specimens of Aponuphis. A Neighbor Joining analysis revealed the presence of two species complexes (A. bilineata species complex and A. brementi species complex), A. ornata and a potentially new species Aponuphis sp. Besides three typical color morphs characteristic to A. bilineata, A. brementi, and A. ornata, the large number of specimens displayed indistinct color patterns of transversal pigmented bands or dots on anterior chaetigers. Specimens with such coloration were found in A. bilineata, A. brementi and the new species Aponuphis sp. Only A. ornata showed constant “horse-shoe” color pattern.

doi: 10.15298/invertzool.15.1.02

KEY WORDS: Onuphinae, fauna, East Atlantic, morphology, molecular analysis, 16S rDNA, color polymorphism.

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