Dieter Fiege

Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt

Distributional ranges of selected deep-sea annelids are examined in an integrative approach using genetic markers (COI, 18S) and morphology. The source material comes from various deep-sea expeditions to the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans realized between 1998 and 2015. Selection criteria for the eventual target species are a reliably documented wides...

In analyses of trophic networks, the complexities of animal communities often have to be reduced by grouping species that share similar features. Which group-defining features are most meaningful in a given context is a notoriously problematic question (Simberloff & Dayan, 1991; Wilson, 1999; Blondel, 2003; Blaum et al., 2011), even in seemingly si...

Changing species assemblages represent major challenges to ecosystems around the world. Retracing these changes is limited by our knowledge of past biodiversity. Natural history collections represent archives of biodiversity and are therefore an unparalleled source to study biodiversity changes. In the present study, we tested the value of natural...

Sedentarian annelids are a diverse and heterogeneous group of marine worms representing more than 8600 species gathered in ca. 43 families. The attention brought to these organisms is unevenly distributed among these families, and the knowledge about them sometimes scarce. We review here the current knowledge about the families Acrocirridae, Cirrat...

Based on specimens recently collected in sediments from 2700 m depth off Mauritania (Northwest Africa; type locality) and from 2700–4400 m depth off Angola (Southwest Africa), a new genus and species, Mauretanaspis longichaeta gen. et spec. nov., is described. The new genus and species are characterized by a unique combination of characters: ventro...

Based on a census of the polychaete fauna of the Socotra Archipelago in the Indian Ocean we report here new findings on the genus Syllis Savigny in Lamarck, 1818. These ten species are newly recorded from this area: Syllis alternata Moore, qamhiyn sp. nov. is described as a new species, characterized by its conspicuously thick and short dorsal cirr...

Natural history collections are fundamental for biodiversity research as well as for any applied environment-related research. These collections can be seen as archives of earth´s life providing the basis to address highly relevant scientific questions such as how biodiversity changes in certain environments, either through evolutionary processes i...

In this paper, we report 10 species of Syllidae, collected in the Socotra Archipelago (Indian Ocean). They belong to eight different genera in four subfamilies namely, Syllinae: Haplosyllis Langerhans, 1879, Megasyllis San Martín, Hutchings & Aguado, 2008, Opisthosyllis Langerhans, 1879, Trypanosyllis Claparède, 1864; Eusyllinae: Eusyllis Malmgren,...

Low morphological diversity among interstitial taxa makes it difficult to delimit species and their geographic boundaries based solely on morphology and molecular data often reveal cryptic species. Polygordius (Annelida, Polygordiidae) have low morphological diversity, but are unusual among interstitial species in their comparatively large size due...

A history of the Marine Zoology Department at the Senckenberg Society for the Study of Nature (Senckenbergische Naturforschende Gesellschaft) has not yet been published. Still, there is no lack of documentation of research activities at the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum. Marine zoology studies began with Eduard Rüppell (...

Eleven species of Malmgrenia McIntosh, 1874 are currently recorded from the Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. In eight of them, all long notochaetae have stout, entire tips [Malmgrenia andreapolis McIntosh, 1874; M. arenicolae (Saint-Joseph, 1888); M. castanea McIntosh, 1876; M. lilianae (Pettibone, 1993); M. ljungmani (Malmgren, 1867); M....

In this paper we describe three species belonging to the genus Branchiosyllis Ehlers, 1887, collected from different areas of the Socotra Archipelago. Two of them, Branchiosyllis inesae n. sp. and Branchiosyllis camblori n. sp. are new to science. The third species, Branchiosyllis exilis (Gravier, 1900), has been recorded circumtropically but was o...

The new ampharetid species Eclysippe yonaguniensis sp. nov. and Glyphanostomum bilabiatum sp. nov. from the Yona-guni Knoll IV hydrothermal field off the coast of Taiwan and Pavelius makranensis sp. nov. from the cold seeps in the Makran accretionary prism off the coast of Pakistan are described. Amage cf. ehlersi Reuscher, Fiege & Imajima, 2015 an...

Members of Polygordiidae Czerniavsky, 1881 are distributed worldwide and are typical inhabitants of coarse grained, marine sublittoral sediments. Species in Polygordiidae are unusual among polychaetes because they lack external segmentation, parapodia, and chaetae as well as external ciliation. Morphological characters for species distinction are t...

In the fourth paper about Ampharetidae from Japan, we describe 12 species in seven genera. The genus Orochi gen. nov. and the eight species Amage ehlersi sp. nov., A. longitorus sp. nov., Glyphanostomum hesslei sp. nov., Lysippe nipponica sp. nov., Melinnopsis augeneri sp. nov., M. mcintoshi sp. nov., Orochi palacephalus gen. et sp. nov., and Samyt...

In the third paper about Ampharetidae from Japan, we describe six species that belong to the ‘Amphicteis genus complex’. We divide this complex into the genera Amphicteis Grube, 1850, Paramphicteis Caullery, 1944, Phyllamphicteis Augener, 1918 and Watatsumi gen. nov. Paramphicteis is considered senior synonym of Pseudoamphicteis Hutchings, 1977 and...

More than half of the species in Namanereis Chamberlin, 1919 (Nereididae: Namanereidinae), are adapted to life in subterranean waters. We document the taxonomy, distribution, and adaptations of the groundwater-inhabiting species in this genus for the first time, starting from the description of two new stygobitic species. The first, Namanereis pilb...

More than half of the species in Namanereis Chamberlin, 1919 (Nereididae: Namanereidinae), are adapted to life in subterranean waters. We document the taxonomy, distribution, and adaptations of the groundwater-inhabiting species in this genus for the first time, starting from the description of two new stygobitic species. The first, Namanereis pilb...

The systematic position of Polygordiidae is still under debate. They have been assigned to various positions among the polychaetes. Recent molecular analyses indicate that they might well be part of a basal radiation in Annelida, suggesting that certain morphological characters could represent primitive character traits adopted from the annelid ste...

Based on specimens collected during the sampling campaigns in the Northern Adriatic from 2003–2010, the diversity of genus Terebellides (Polychaeta; Trichobranchidae) was studied and three species are reported for the Northern Adriatic Sea: Terebellides gracilis Malm, 1874, Terebellides mediterranea spec. nov., and Terebellides stroemii Sars, 1835....

The second paper of the series about Ampharetidae from Japan includes twelve species of four genera with elevated and modified notopodia, Anobothrus Levinsen, 1884, Sosane Malmgren, 1866 (including species of the synonymized genera Muggoides Hartman, 1965, Sosanopsis Hessle, 1917, and Genus A sensu Uebelacker 1984), Tanseimaruana gen. nov., and Zat...

Long-bodied polynoids, like Polyeunoa laevis McIntosh, 1885 and similar species which are often associated with coldwater corals, are regularly reported from Antarctic, Subantarctic and adjacent cold-temperate waters. The taxonomy of these species is confused and has been subject to various discussions in the past. For the revision presented here w...

Five species of Ampharete are reported from Japan. Two species, Ampharete ampullata sp. nov., and Ampharete cinnamomea sp. nov., are newly described, and Ampharete falcata, is newly recorded from the North Pacific. Several morphological characters are reviewed and their value for taxonomy and systematics is discussed. A schematic diagram of the ant...

In a collection of polychaetes from the Southwest Atlantic, off the Argentinian coast, ten scale worm species of the family Polynoidae were found. The following nine species are already known to science and their synonymy, diagnostic characters, and distribution are given together with remarks on taxonomy and geographical distribution: Eucranta mol...

This study of the Portuguese Magelonidae aims to increase our knowledge of European Magelona species. Magelona specimens were collected from the southwestern Portuguese continental shelf during the SEPLAT 6 & 7 cruises, between April 1981 and October 1983. Six species of Magelona were found: M. alleni, M. filiformis, M. johnstoni, M. minuta, M. wil...

Summary We aim to combine classical taxonomic methods with modern aspects of biodiversity research, in particular phylogeography (population genetics and DNA barcoding) and ecological modelling in the climatic sensitive region around Iceland. The sampling area is characterised by several local pecularities like submarine ridges (geographical barrie...

Terebellomorph polychaetes are reported from hydrothermal vents and cold seeps collected in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Two new species of Terebellidae, Neoamphitrite hydrothermalis sp. nov. and Streblosoma kaia sp. nov., are described from hydrothermal vents of the western Pacific. These are the first terebellid species described from hydroth...

A new species of Sphaerodoridae (Annelida: Polychaeta), Sphaerodoropsis solis sp. nov., is described from the Challenger Plateau in the Tasman Sea, south-west Pacific. It is the third species of the genus with ventral macrotubercles and is further characterized by the lack of dorsal papillae and the specific arrangement pattern of ventral papillae....

The excretory organs of the freshwater polychaete Hypania invalida have been examined using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Three pairs of macroscopically and ultrastructurally different nephridia are present in the thorax. Intersegmental septa in the thorax are absent, with the exception of a single diaphragm between second and thir...

This study provides new information about the composition, diversity and zoogeography of abyssal polychaetes in the little-studied South Eastern Atlantic (Angola Basin). During the austral winter of 2000, twenty-five box core samples (total area sampled 6 m2) were taken along a 500-km transect in five work areas at depths exceeding 5000 m. A total...

Examination of all species previously referred to the genus Hermadion revealed that the type species, H. magalhaensiKinberg, 1856, is the only valid species in the genus. H. magalhaensi is redescribed and its synonymy with Hermadion longicirratus Kinberg, 1856, Hermadion kerguelensis McIntosh, 1885, and Lagisca laevis Hartmann-Schrösder, 1962, is d...

Examination of all species previously referred to the genus Hermadion revealed that the type species, H. magalhaensi Kinberg, 1856, is the only valid species in the genus. H. magalhaensi is redescribed and its synonymy with Hermadion longicirratus Kinberg, 1856, Hermadion kerguelensis McIntosh, 1885, and Lagisca laevis Hartmann-Schröder, 1962, is d...

In the Northeast Atlantic several polynoid species have been confused in the past due to similarities in their elytral characters: Harmothoe globifera (G.O.Sars, 1873), Eunoe nodosa (M. Sars, 1861), Eunoe oerstedi Malmgren, 1866, Leucia nivea (M. Sars, 1863), and Acanthicolepis zibrowii n. sp., a new species from deep cold-water corals. The five sp...

In the Northeast Atlantic several polynoid species have been confused in the past due to similarities in their elytral characters: Harmothoe globifera (G.O.Sars, 1873), Eunoe nodosa (M. Sars, 1861), Eunoe oerstedi Malmgren, 1866, Leucia nivea (M. Sars, 1863), and Acanthicolepis zibrowii n. sp., a new species from deep cold-water corals. The five sp...

An overview of polynoid scale worms known to occur on cold-water coral reefs of the northeast Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea is given, including a key for identification of species. Harmothoe oculinarum (Storm, 1879), H. vesiculosa Ditlevsen, 1917, and Leucia violacea (Storm, 1879) comb. nov. are redescribed. A lectotype is designated for H. ve...

Four new species of the polychaete family Ampharetidae are described from hot vents and cold seeps in the Pacific. Amage benhami sp. nov., Amphisamytha vanuatuensis sp. nov., Anobothrus apaleatus sp. nov., Glyphanostomum holthei sp. nov. For Amphisamytha vanuatuensis sp. nov., different stages in the development of branchiae are described. While th...

Four new species of the polychaete family Ampharetidae are described from hot vents and cold seeps in the Pacific. Amage benhami sp. nov., Amphisamytha vanuatuensis sp. nov., Anobothrus apaleatus sp. nov., Glyphanostomum holthei sp. nov. For Amphisamytha vanuatuensis sp. nov., different stages in the development of branchiae are described. While th...

Archinome storchi sp. nov. is described as the second species of the family Archinomidae. The specimens were collected from a hydrothermal vent site in 2212 m depth on the Pacific–Antarctic Ridge at 37° S. It differs from Archinome rosacea mainly in the position of the anus, the first appearance of branchiae and the length of the nuchal cirrus. Add...

The type material and original descriptions of 126 nominal species from the Northeast Atlantic originally described as belonging to Harmothoe Kinberg, 1856 or later referred to this genus were examined. Of these species, only 28 are considered to be valid, i.e. less than 25 %, the others being either junior synonyms, indeterminable, invalid, or ref...

FIGURE 1. Amage benhami sp. nov. holotype (SMF 17813): a: lateral overview, b: prostomium with two conspicuous anterolateral horns, c: schematic drawing showing arrangement of branchiae, d: thoracic uncinus, lateral view, e: thoracic uncinus, frontolateral view, f: abdominal uncinus, lateral view, g: abdominal uncinus, frontal view

FIGURE 3. Amphisamytha vanuatuensis sp. nov.: a: schematic drawing showing arrangement of branchiae at different stages of development, b – f: SEM-micrographs, b: 20 chaetiger stage, 2 nd pair of branchiae visible (arrow), c: 24 chaetiger stage, 3 rd pair of branchiae visible (arrow), d: 27 chaetiger stage, 4 th pair of branchiae visible (arrow), e...

FIGURE 4. Anobothrus apaleatus sp. nov. holotype (SMF 17752): a: lateral overview, b: schematic drawing showing arrangement of branchiae, c: pygidium, dorsal view, d: thoracic uncinus, lateral view, e: thoracic uncinus, frontal view. Elevated notopodia not apparent.

FIGURE 2. Amphisamytha vanuatuensis sp. nov. holotype (SMF 17798): a: lateral overview, b: schematic drawing showing arrangement of branchiae, c: glandular pads (*) above abdominal neuropodia with minute papilliform cirrus (arrow), d: thoracic uncinus, lateral view.

FIGURE 5. Glyphanostomum holthei sp. nov. holotype (SMF 17850): a: lateral overview, b: anterior part with oral membrane extended (O = Oral membrane, P = Papillae, R = Ventral ridge), c: schematic drawing showing arrangement of branchiae, d: thoracic uncinus, frontal view, e: abdominal uncinus, frontal view.

As a contribution to unravel the confusion of the Spirobranchus corniculatus complex a detailed redescription is given of S. gaymardi, together with an overview of the S. giganteus complex. The operculum of S. gaymardi in its most typical form is clearly distinguished from that of any other Spirobranchus species by the presence of two short, broade...

Tubiform cocoons of various shapes are described and illustrated from deep-water localities from Antarctic and Subantarctic regions (South Shetland and Kerguelen Islands) and from the NE Atlantic (Bay of Biscay). They are referred to undescribed species of Kronborgia CHRISTENSEN & KANNEWORFF 1964. Thus the geographical and bathymetrical distributio...

A new species of Polygordiidae, Polygordius jouinae sp. nov., along with its distribution, habitat, and repro-duction is described. Polygordius jouinae sp. nov., the ¢rst North American Polygordius, is a dominant member of macrofaunal communities on the inner continental shelf, and in bays and harbours from Massachusetts to southern New Jersey. It...

During the expeditions ANT XIII/3 (1996) and ANT XV/3 (1998) to the Weddell Sea, a number of polynoid specimens resembling Harmothoe spinosa Kinberg, 1856 were collected. Due to contradictory information in the literature regarding the differentiating characters of H. spinosa and other related species, the type material of the former and of 27 nomi...

The Aphroditoidea collected during two joint expeditions of the Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, Frankfurt, Germany, and the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, conducted in autumn of 1990 and spring of 1992 to Hainan Island, South China Sea, are presented herein. Altogether 386 specimens of Aphroditoidea (Annelida, Polych...

The present revision covers all known species of the genus Lepidastheniella Monro, 1924 (i.e. Lepidastheniella comma (Thomson, 1902), L. phillippensis Monro, 1924 and L. monroi Benham, 1950). The comparison of the available type material showed that L. monroi is a junior synonym of L. comma and that specimens from a collection of scale worms from o...

During two expeditions with RV ‘Meteor’ in summer 1993 and winter 1997/98 the structural and functional diversity of the benthic system of the highly oligotrophic eastern Mediterranean deep sea was investigated. The macrofauna communities were dominated by polychaetes even at the deepest stations. The fauna at shallow stations was dominated by surf...

Based on published and unpublished material the present study represents the first comprehensive work covering all scale worms (Aphroditoidea) currently known to occur in the Mediterranean Sea. In total 66 species representing 38 genera are confirmed, described, and figured in detail and taxonomical problems discussed. The aphroditoidean fauna of t...

A new species of namanereid polychaete, Namanereis gesae n. sp., is described from the island of Abd al-Kuri in the Socotra Archipelago. It occurs in oligohaline pools at 700 m above sea level. Namanereis gesae resembles N. hummelincki, N. cavernicola and N. araps but can easily be distinguished by the number of teeth in the jaws. This is the secon...

Based on the literature, all records of Polychaeta from the seas surrounding the Arabian Peninsula, i.e. the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman and Arabian Gulf, were reviewed, and a list of the valid species recognised from this area is provided. For each species, information on synonyms, type locality and distribution is supplied, t...

The present review is based on material from different localities in the Mediterranean Sea, and where appropriate, on type material; it comprises all Malmgreniella species known to occur in this area: i.e. Malmgreniella andreapolis (McIntosh, 1874), M. castanea (McIntosh, 1876), M. darbouxi Pettibone, 1993, M. lilianae Pettibone, 1993, M. ljungmani...

Parougia oregonensis, a new species of the Dorvilleidae (Annelida: Polychaeta), is described from 5 specimens collected from a cold seep site at 600-800 m depth in the northeast Pacific at the Cascadia Margin off Oregon. This new species differs from all other species of Parougia in the degree of sclerotization of the mandibles, which are anteriorl...