Sabellidae (Polychaeta) from Ilha Grande Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

• Grant number: 11/17837-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2012
• End date: November 30, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: João Miguel de Matos Nogueira
• Grantee: Tauana Junqueira da Cunha
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Sabellids (Sabellidae Latreille, 1825) are benthic annelids found in all marine and some brackish and fresh water environments. It is one of the largest polychaete families with 46 genera and around 500 described species. Traditionally, the family is divided in two monophyletic subfamilies, Fabriciinae Rioja, 1923 and Sabellinae Latreille, 1825, the latter much more diverse. Recently, studies based on molecular data showed that the family is paraphyletic because Fabriciinae has a sister-taxon relationship with Serpulidae Rafinesque, 1925. In order to keep both families as valid taxa and avoid major nomenclature changes, it has been suggested that both Sabellidae subfamilies should be elevated to the family level (Fabriciidae and Sabellidae sensu stricto); this proposal was adopted in the present study. Only 38 sabellid species (sensu lato) are registered from Brazil and 15 of them are found in Rio de Janeiro. In this area there are no species recorded from hard substrates and information on the sabellid fauna occurring at the Ilha Grande Bay has never been published. The aim of the present study is to identify and describe the sabellid species collected at the Ilha Grande Bay, RJ, by another project, and compare species composition on natural and artificial substrates. Specimens will be identified to genera and species based on morphological characters and a key to the species found will be provided. Additionally, full descriptions of all taxa identified will be given, including diagnostic plates with photos under stereo, light and scanning electron microscopes. (AU)