Benthic polychaetes from the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge between the Azores and the Reykjanes Ridge

Summary

The polychaete macrofauna of the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge between the Azores (428N) and the southern tip of the Reykjanes Ridge (548N) was studied based on the material obtained during the R/V G.O. Sars MAR-ECO cruise in 2004 and the two RRS James Cook ECOMAR cruises in 2007 and 2009. Polychaetes were collected from 28 trawl catches at depths from 981 to 3527 m. In total, 457 specimens were obtained and identified to 34 species-level taxa belonging to 18 families. Of the 34 species, 22 could be identified to known species (4 with reservation). Only 12 species were represented in more than 3 samples, and only 8 species were represented by more than 10 specimens. Lumbriclymenella nasuta comb. nov. is formally redescribed and the taxonomic status of Laetmonice britannica is raised from subspecies to species level. Several possibly undescribed species are present in the material, but lack of sufficient material prevents formal descriptions. Taxonomic remarks and figures are included for future reference.