The Great Australian Bight (GAB) comprises the majority of Australia's southern coastline, but to date its deep water fauna has remained almost unknown. Recent issuing of oil and gas leases in the region has highlighted this lack of baseline biological data and established a pressing need to characterise benthic abyssal fauna. From 2013 to 2017, six large-scale systematic surveys of the GAB were conducted from 200 to 5000 m depth, constituting the deepest systematic biological sampling in Australia. Sampling was conducted on soft sediment and hard substrates, both at pre-determined depth intervals along north-south transect lines and at sites of interest identified by multibeam sonar. A total of 66,721 invertebrate specimens were collected, comprising 1267 species, with 401 species (32%) new to science. In addition to the novelty of the fauna, there was a high degree of rarity, with 31% of species known only from single specimens. In this paper, we provide an annotated checklist of the benthic invertebrate fauna of the deep GAB, supplemented with colour photos of live specimens and commentary on taxonomy, diversity and distributions. This work represents an important addition to knowledge of Australia's deep sea fauna, and will provide the foundation for further ecological, biogeographical and systematic research.
A second species of Diopatra Audouin and Milne Edwards from the Hawaiian Islands is described. Diopatra dexiognatha n. sp. differs from D. leuckarti, the only previously reported species from Hawaii, most notably by the possession ofdouble rather than single postsetallobes on the anterior parapodia, The new species is known only from the south shore of Oahu, where it occurs in dense aggregations along the shoreward margin of the fringing reef . ONLY ONE SPECIES of Diopatra, D. leuckarti Kinberg, 1865, has been reported from Hawaii (Hartman 1966). The species was characterized by its very large and bushy branchiae and described on the basis of several specimens collected among dead corals by the Eugenie Expedition to Oahus. Although Kinberg stated that the species was quite common, it has not been reported since its original description. Weare reporting the discovery of another species ofDiopatra from Hawaii, occurring in dense aggregations intertidally near Niu Val ley, Oahu (as D. leuckarti in Bailey-Brock 1984). These specimens differ from D. leuck arti in a number of morphological features and are described here as a new species.
Nothria and Anchinothria , two sister genera of onuphid worms were studied from eastern Australian waters. Nothria abyssia , with a wide distribution in Pacific and Antarctic waters is reported from slope depths south-east of Australia, while N . otsuchiensis , described from Japanese waters, was found along the eastern coast of Australia from shallow subtidal to deep slope areas. Anchinothria parvula sp. nov. is described, based on the presence of uni- and bidentate pseudocompound falcigers in the first three pairs of parapodia, absence of branchiae and appearance of limbate chaetae from chaetiger 2, subacicular hooks from chaetigers 6–8 and pectinate chaetae from chaetiger 14. The new species represents the first record of the genus in Australian waters. Ontogenetic variation of chaetal composition and morphology of parapodia was estimated in two Nothria species examined. Three size-related morphotypes with different chaetal composition and morphology of anterior falcigers were revealed in N. abyssia and N. otsuchiensis . The number of chaetigers with pseudocompound falcigers is the only character independent of size of the specimens in both examined species. Distribution of subacicular hooks and postchaetal lobes is shown to be size-dependent. The following characters are considered of diagnostic value only when scored in adults: presence/absence of simple falcigers in anterior parapodia; chaetiger of origin of limbate chaetae, pectinate chaetae, and subacicular hooks; and number of chaetigers with auricular prechaetal lobes and digitiform postchaetal lobes. The use of adult specimens with the final set of definitive morphological structures for diagnoses of Nothria species is suggested.
The general morphology, reproduction and development of the family Onuphidae are reviewed and supplemented with new observations, emphasizing ontogenetic changes. The following features were found to be associated with the juvenile state: distinctive colour pattern, ceratophores of antennae with few rings, absence of frontal palps and tentacular cirri, presence of eyes, smaller number of modified setigers, lesser developed branchiae, early occurrence of sub acicular hooks, presence of compound falcigers in anterior and far posterior setigers. Five new genera are described, bringing the number of recognized genera in the family to 22. A key, diagnoses and illustrated definitions to all genera are given. The relationships within the family are analyzed using morphological, ecological and life history characters. Two subfamilies: Hyalinoeciinae, n. subf., and Onuphinae are erected. The two subfamilies differ in the presence or absence of notosetae, position of sub acicular hooks and lower limbate setae, number of anal cirri, primary envelope of oocytes and arrangement of their nurse cells. Two groups of genera are recognized in each subfamily. The Hyalinoeciinae includes the Nothria group (consisting of Nothria and Anchinothria, n. gen.) and the Hyalinoecia group (consisting of Hyalinoecia; Leptoecia; Neonuphis; HyalospiniJera). The Onuphinae includes the Diopatra group (consisting of Notonuphis; Paradiopatra; Diopatra; Epidiopatra; Brevibrachium, n. gen.; Longibrachium, n. gen.; Rhamphobrachium; Americonuphis) and the Onuphis group (consisting of Australonuphis; Hartmanonuphis, n. gen.; Hirsutonuphis, n. gen.; Aponuphis; Kinbergonuphis; Mooreonuphis; Onuphis; Heptaceras). It is hypothesized that the Onuphidae have a southern centre of origin and radiated from epifaunal habitats to world-wide distributions from the shallowest to the deepest depths.
A new species, Diopatra marocensis , is described from the fine sand Abra alba community, Sidi Boulbra, south Moroccan Atlantic coast. The new species is a member of the D. cuprea complex and is characterized by having crescentic nuchal grooves, short ceratophores, a short branchiate region, four pairs of modified parapodia with bidentate pseudocompound hooks, pectinate setae with 11–20 teeth, limbate setae with conspicuously serrated shelf, and subacicular hooks from setiger 13–15. Eggs of Diopatra marocensis sp. nov. are deposited in the parental tube, where they undergo direct development and remain until the young consist of 32–34 setigers.
Australian beachworms, recognized by specialists as one species Onuphis teres (Ehlers 1868), and by fishermen as a number of forms, were studied to determine whether more than one species was involved. Monthly sampling at a study site (Narrabeen, New South Wales) and collections from other localities were undertaken to study the morphology of beachworms, electrophoretic mobility of glucosephosphate isomerase and aspects of their life history. Three forms of beachworms-slimy, stumpy and kingworm-occur at the study site. Stumpies were found to be young kingworms, while slimy represents a separate species. The two species belong to Americonuphis Orensanz, 1974; the name is preoccupied and is replaced with Australonuphis. The holotype of A. teres is a kingworm and the closely related slimy is described as A. Parateres, sp. nov. Four other forms of beachworms were collected from northern New South Wales and Queensland: stripey, giant, wiry and white-headed wiry. These forms are referred to Onuphis. Stripey and giant are morphologically distinct and are described as O. taeniata, sp. nov., and O. gygis, sp. nov., respectively. Wiry and white-headed wiry belong to a polymorphic species described as O, mariahirsuta, sp. nov.
Abstract A new genus, Fauchaldonuphis , is erected for the enigmatic polychaete Diopatra paradoxa de Quatrefages, 1866 from the Mozambique Channel. It is characterized by the possession of long anterior chaetigers and parapodia, with long protrusile distally spinous capillary chaetae and bidentate hooks. Embryos being brooded in the parental tube are described. The relationships of Fauchaldonuphis with other genera of Onuphidae based on larval and adult characters are discussed.
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