Ceuthonoe nezhai gen. et sp. n. (Polynoidae: Polynoinae) commensal with sponges from Weijia Guyot, western Pacific

Ceuthonoe, a new genus with type species C. nezhai sp. n. commensal with euplectellid glass sponge (Hexactinellida: Euplectellidae), is described and illustrated, based on the material collected from Weijia Guyot, western Pacific. The new genus is distinguished by a combination of characters: body with 32 segments; 14 pairs of elytra; prostomium with prominent cephalic peaks and facial tubercle; aciculae and chaetae on tentaculophores; biramous parapodium, each ramus with a long aciculum penetrating epidermis, without supra- or subacicular process; and noto- and neurochaetae with unidentate tips. Ceuthonoe gen. n. is mostly silimar to genera of Polynoinae in morphology. However the phylogenetic analysis based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, 16S, 18S, and 28S genes suggested that this new genus was separated from the main branch of Polynoinae. The study also discussed the genera related to the new genus.