Alvinonemertes dagmarae gen. et sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 09E39C02-B087-4A95-A753-5D3C2F930632

Fig. 8E

Diagnosis

Alvinonemertes dagmarae gen. et sp. nov. can be attributed to the genus Alvinonemertes gen. nov. based on the strong support for a sister group relationship between the five species of this genus.

Etymology

For Dagmar Wenzel, lab technician at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Bonn. Acknowledging her support in the molecular lab, which included DNA extractions and PCRs for some of the specimens used in this study.

Material examined

Holotype

COSTA RICA • spec. (ethanol); non-seep seamount Quepos Plateau Hills; 8.5323° N, 84.79072° W; depth 1410 m; 27 Oct. 2018; Charlotte Seid and Juan José Alvarado leg.; collected by HOV Alvin, Dive 4981; associated with a colony of Antipatharia Milne Edwards, 1857 (SIO-BIC Co3031); GenBank: ON186254, ON036049, ON021866, ON182034; SIO-BIC N260 .

Description

Specimen 5 cm long and 1 mm in diameter. One pair of cephalic furrows. Head rounded, not demarcated from rest of body. Body coloration white to yellowish, translucent. Internal organs visible through body wall (Fig. 8E).

Ecology

This species seems to be closely associated with antipatharian corals as several specimens were collected wrapped around one colony (Fig. 8E).

Remarks

The new species is attributed to the genus Alvinonemertes gen. nov. based on the executed phylogenetic analyses. In the concatenated analysis, A. dagmarae gen. et sp. nov. is sister to a clade comprising the three species A. christianeae gen. et sp. nov., A. claudiae gen. et sp. nov., and A. tatjanae gen. et sp. nov. and belongs to the well supported clade representing the genus (Fig. 7).