Unravelling the Extent of Diversity within the Iberian Medicinal Leeches (Hirudinea: Hirudo) Using Molecules and Morphology.

Until the beginning of the 21st century, the famous medicinal leech was thought to be represented by only one species, Hirudo medicinalis. However, recent publications have demonstrated that under that name, at least five different species of medicinal leeches were hidden. During the last decade, the biogeography of Western-Palaearctic leeches has begun to unravel, untangling their diversity in practically all of Europe, except for its westernmost peninsula, Iberia. Hirudo medicinalis has been repeatedly reported from Iberia, but those records were considered questionable. We discovered H. verbana in northern Spain, constituting its first record in Iberia. Using an integrative approach (combining morpho-anatomical data and molecular analyses using three genes, COI,12S rRNA, and ITS2), two endemic and geographically separated Iberian lineages have been found. One of them is easily distinguished by its distinctive colour-pattern and is described as H. verbana bilineata ssp. nov. We characterized the new subspecies morphologically, ecologically, and genetically. We also established its phylogenetic relationships with other European Hirudo spp. and confirm the presence of H. troctina in Iberia, occurring as far as 43° lat. N. Iberian H. verbana records constitute its westernmost known distribution to date. The provided distribution pattern of H. verbana contributes to a better understanding of the complexity of Iberia as a glacial refugium/cradle for endemisms, harbouring populations with a high degree of genetic structure that began to settle throughout the Pleistocene. Iberian Hirudo populations are declining in recent decades and there is an urgent need to assess their conservation status and to initiate conservation measures to reverse their decline.

Taxonomic contribution to the genus Sphaerosyllis (Annelida: Syllidae: Exogoninae) in the Black Sea.

During a study of fauna associated with a shallow-water Zostera (Zosterella) noltei bed from the southern part of the Romanian Black Sea coast, among the identified material collected in 2015, a syllid polychaete belonging to the subfamily Exogoninae, Sphaerosyllis taylori Perkins, 1981, represents a new record for the Black Sea. Re-examination of available specimens previously identified as Sphaerosyllis bulbosa Southern, 1914 revealed that they belong to an unknown species, described herein as Sphaerosyllis pontica sp. nov. The new species is characterized by the median antenna inserted more posteriorly than the lateral antennae, dorsal cirri with bulbous bases and very short tips, shorter than the parapodial lobes, dorsal cirri absent on chaetiger 2, parapodial glands with fibrillar material from chaetiger 4 onwards, compound chaetae with short blades and smooth shafts, anterior parapodia with two aciculae each, one straight and one with bent tip. Descriptions of both species are provided together with a key to all Sphaerosyllis species known from the Black Sea.

How false is Nereis falsa (Annelida, Phyllodocida, Nereididae)? / ¿Qué tan falsa es Nereis falsa (Annelida, Phyllodocida, Nereididae)?

Abstract: There are many taxonomic problems in polychaete species names and solving confusing or inadequate taxonomic procedures is both time-demanding and extremely important. Our objective in this contribution was to analyse what is the current taxonomic situation for Nereis falsa de Quatrefages, 1866; it was based upon Nereis pulsatoria? Rathke, 1837 from the Black Sea, and it is currently regarded as having a very wide distribution. The species has been collected from different benthic substrates and even can be found on floating objects or marine turtles. Nereis falsa has been recorded from the Mediterranean Sea, the Eastern Atlantic along Africa, the Western Atlantic (Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, Brazil), and the Indian Ocean. However, despite the fact N. falsa was proposed as a species from the Black Sea, it has not yet been found there. How can we explain that a species is able to attain a very wide distribution and yet be missing from its type locality? After a careful study of previous publications and with our understanding of the systematics of nereidid polychaetes, we clarify the current situation by examining several related species and pointed out some nomenclatural issues. Our analysis indicates there is more than one species included under the same name, and in this contribution we propose some means to promote discussion and actions, and suggest some basic research for solving this issue. Rev. Biol. Trop. 65 (3): 847-857. Epub 2017 September 01.

Resumen: Entre los nombres de especies de poliquetos hay muchos problemas taxonómicos y resolver los procedimientos taxonómicos confusos o inadecuados consume mucho tiempo y es muy importante. Nuestro objetivo en esta contribución es analizar cuál es la situación para Nereis falsa de Quatrefages, 1866; fue basada en Nereis pulsatoria? Rathke, 1837 del Mar Negro, y se considera como una especie de amplia distribución. La especie se ha recolectado en diferentes sustratos bénticos e incluso puede hallarse en objetos flotantes o sobre tortugas marinas. Nereis falsa se ha registrado del Mar Mediterráneo, en el Atlántico oriental a lo largo del África, en el Atlántico occidental (Golfo de México, Mar Caribe, Brasil), y en el Índico. Sin embargo, a pesar de haber sido propuesta para una especie del Mar Negro no se ha vuelto a encontrar en el mismo. ¿Cómo conjugar que una especie pueda alcanzar una vasta distribución y faltar en su localidad tipo? Después de un estudio cuidadoso de las publicaciones sobre el tema y con nuestra comprensión de la sistemática de los poliquetos neréididos, clarificamos la situación prevalente al examinar varias especies relacionadas e indicamos algunas cuestiones nomenclaturales. Nuestro análisis indica que hay más de una especie bajo el mismo nombre y en esta contribución, nos enfocamos al problema, proponemos algunas formas para promover la discusión y la acción, y sugerimos algunas actividades de investigación para resolver el problema.

On the taxonomic status of the European Scolelepis (Scolelepis) squamata (Polychaeta: Spionidae), with description of a new species from southern Europe On the taxonomic status of the European Scolelepis (Scolelepis) squamata (Polychaeta: Spionidae), with description of a new species from southern Europe

In order to clarify taxonomic problems relating to the identity of Scolelepis (Scolelepis) specimens from the Black Sea, the identified material was compared with specimens of Scolelepis cirratulus (Delle Chiaje, 1829) from the Mediterranean, of S. squamata (Abildgaard, in O.F. Müller, 1806) from the North Sea and the Atlantic coast of Spain, and with the syntypes of S. mesnili (Bellan & Lagardère, 1971) from the Atlantic coast of France. The examination of a large number of specimens (both juveniles and adults) reveals that the currently accepted morphological differences distinguishing all species show size-related patterns, suggesting that they all belong to one species. Therefore, this study supports the view that Scolelepis cirratulus and Scolelepis mesnili are junior synonyms of Scolelepis (Scolelepis) squamata. As a result of the re-assessment of the species limits of Scolelepis (Scolelepis) squamata, a new species, Scolelepis (Scolelepis) neglecta sp. nov., is distinguished and described from the Cantabrian coast of Spain. It inhabits shallow sublittoral fine sands and was earlier misidentified and reported from the Atlantic coast of Europe and the Mediterranean Sea as Scolelepis squamata, Scolelepis mesnili, Scolelepis cantabra (Rioja, 1918), or Dispio uncinata Hartman, 1951. The new species is characterized by having a trilobate prostomium with an acuminate medial portion, a short peristomium with well-developed dorso-lateral wings, short palps with two longitudinal bands of elevated lobes, neuropodial postchaetal lamellae notched from chaetigers 14-41, and strongly curved bidentate neuropodial hooded hooks with a slight constriction on the shaft starting from chaetigers 19-49. The morphology, diagnostic characters and ecology of both Scolelepis (Scolelepis) squamata and Scolelepis (Scolelepis) neglecta sp. nov. are discussed.

Fine-scale population genetics analysis of Platynereis dumerilii (Polychaeta, Nereididae) in the Black Sea: how do local marine currents drive geographical differentiation?

In this study we analyzed at a submeso-geographic scale (2 km) the genetic diversity of two sub-populations of Platynereis dumerilii and correlated this with the physical characteristics of the marine currents along the western Black Sea coast. For this purpose, we developed a set of 13 new polymorphic microsatellite markers and used them to assess the genetic differentiation, as well as the bi-directional migration rates between the studied sub-populations. We also computed the Peclet number (Pe) as an indicator of the relative effect of advection and eddy diffusion on larval dispersion for the specific conditions of the Black Sea study area. The results indicated no genetic structure in P. dumerilii sub-populations which indicates that the longitudinal alongshore currents dominate in the population structuring of this species. This finding is important, because with the average current speeds of 5 cm/sec on the Black Sea coast during May-August we might have expected a certain population structuring to occur. In accordance with the periodical change of direction of the longitudinal current (either form North to South, or form South to North) the gene flow was found to be bi-directional, with the same intensity.