Eunicida and Amphinomida polychaetes (Annelida) inhabiting dead coral fragments in the Chinchorro Bank Biosphere Reserve, Mexican Caribbean

Introduction: The polychaete fauna inhabiting Chinchorro Bank has been poorly studied and only 35 species have been previously reported. Objective: To examine the taxonomic composition of the Eunicida and Amphinomida associated to dead coral substrates from this coral reef atoll, a Biosphere Reserve located in the southern Mexican Caribbean. Methods: In April 2008, dead coral fragments of the genus Porites were manually collected by SCUBA diving at eight stations between 4-16.2 m depth. Results: A total of 714 individuals belonging to 17 genera and 48 species of the families Amphinomidae, Dorvilleidae, Eunicidae, Lumbrineridae, Oenonidae and Onuphidae were identified. Eunicidae was clearly the more diverse (29 species; 60.4 %) and abundant family (479 individuals; 67.1 %), while the Oenonidae and Onuphidae were represented by only one individual-species each. Thirty-eight species (79.2 %) were new records for Chinchorro Bank, of which 23 species (47.9 %) were newly reported for the Western Caribbean ecoregion. Conclusions: The polychaete fauna recorded showed that the Chinchorro Bank reef is a species-rich habitat that deserves further study; the 48 species from six families identified were similar or even greater than the number of species reported from dead coral environments of other Caribbean Sea regions.

Introducción: La fauna de poliquetos que habita en el Banco Chinchorro ha sido poco estudiada y solo se han registrado alrededor de 35 especies. Objetivo: Examinar la composición taxonómica de los Amphinomida y Eunicida asociados a sustratos de coral muerto en este atolón coralino, una Reserva de la Biosfera ubicada al sur del Caribe mexicano. Métodos: En abril de 2008 se recolectaron manualmente fragmentos de coral muerto por medio de buceo SCUBA en ocho estaciones entre 4-16.2 m de profundidad. Resultados: Se identificaron 714 individuos pertenecientes a 17 géneros y 48 especies de las familias Amphinomidae, Dorvilleidae, Eunicidae, Lumbrineridae, Oenonidae y Onuphidae. Eunicidae fue claramente la familia más diversa (29 especies, 60.4 %) y abundante (479 individuos, 67.1 %); en cambio Oenonidae y Onuphidae estuvieron representadas por solo un individuo de una especie. Treinta y ocho especies (79.2 %) fueron nuevos registros para el Banco Chinchorro, de las cuales 23 especies (47.9 %) fueron registradas por primera vez en la ecorregión del Caribe Occidental. Conclusiones: La fauna de poliquetos registrada mostró que el arrecife del Banco Chinchorro es un hábitat rico en especies que merece estudios adicionales; las 48 especies de seis familias identificadas fueron similares o incluso superiores al número de especies registradas en ambientes de coral muerto de otras regiones del Mar Caribe.

Labrorostratus caribensis, a new oenonid polychaete from the Grand Caribbean living in the body cavity of a nereidid, with emendation of the genus.

Endoparasitic relationships among polychaetes are uncommon and mostly restricted to about 20 species of the family Oenonidae. We herein describe Labrorostratus caribensis, a new oenonid species living in the body cavity of a nereidid polychaete in Chinchorro Bank (Mexican Caribbean). This is the first report of a parasitic relationship between oenonids and nereidids in the Grand Caribbean region. The new species is diagnosed by the jaw apparatus reduced to only maxillary carriers fused, one simple modified ventral chaeta from midbody and lack of acicular spines. The generic diagnosis is emended to include species without maxillary plates. A synopsis of parasitism among polychaetes worldwide is presented.