UNCIHERPIA HIRSUTA A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES OFAPLACOPHORAN (MOLLUSCA SOLENOGASTRES: PARARRHOPALIIDAE) FROM GALICIA,NORTHWEST SPAIN

• Published in: Journal of molluscan studies 2001-02, Vol.67 (1), p.113-120
• Main Authors: GARCÍA-ALVAREZ, O., SALVINI-PLAWEN, L.V., URGORRI, V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0260-1230; 1464-3766
• DOI: 10.1093/mollus/67.1.113

During the sampling expeditions of the project FAUNA IBERICA, 14 specimens of a new species and genus of Solenogastres, Unciherpia hirsuta, were collected from the Banco de Galicia (NW Spain) (42°42′22″–42°43′00″; 11°47′52″W–11°45′47″W) found on Xthe coral Madrepora oculata (Linnaeus, 1758) at 760–769 m. depth. This new species is characterized by a body of 10.8 mm in length by 1.3 mm in width, without keel or lumps. Spicules are of four types: long, straight with a harpoon tip; acicular, slightly, curved with a serrated end; acicular and slightly sigmoid; and hooked with a sharp tip over the hook and the proximal end sigmoid-shaped. The mouth opening lies in the atrium; the ventral groove has one fold that does not enter the pallial cavity; there are 16 follicular glands encircling the pharynx and opening into it; there is a pair of short rostral caecum; one dorsoterminal sense organ; and eight respiratory folds. The creation of a new subfamily Unciherpiinae, of the family Pararrhopalidae is proposed to classify the new genera Unciherpia. This new sub-family is diagnosed by the hooked spicules and follicular glands around the pharynx.