Vol. 45 No. 1, 2006

Sabellids (Polychaeta: Sabellidae) from the Grand Caribbean

María Ana Tovar-Hernández* and Sergio I. Salazar-Vallejo

Laboratorio de poliquetos, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Av. Centenario Km. 5.5, C. P. 77900, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, México

María Ana Tovar-Hernández* and Sergio I. Salazar-Vallejo (2006) A taxonomic key for the 40 valid species of sabellids (Polychaeta: Sabellidae) occurring in the Grand Caribbean is provided. Eighteen species are herein recorded from the Grand Caribbean, and 4 species new to science are described: Anamobaea phyllisae sp. nov. (Guana Island), Bispira paraporifera sp. nov. (Mexican Caribbean), Megalomma perkinsi sp. nov. (Florida), and Pseudopotamilla fitzhughi sp. nov. (Mexican Caribbean). Identifications were corroborated by comparisons with type and non-type material loaned from several museums. An annotated checklist of the sabellid polychaetes from the Grand Caribbean is provided, including type localities, museums where material is deposited, and taxonomic remarks whenever necessary. The checklist comprises 56 species, of which 13 remain as questionable records, either because there is no type material, their records are isolated, or their type localities are far away from the Grand Caribbean. By presenting a complete overview of all records for sabellids in the area, this work summarizes our current knowledge of the diversity of this polychaete family in the Grand Caribbean, providing baseline data for future research.

Key words: Fan worms, Key, Checklist, New species.

*Correspondence: Tel: 52-983-8350440 ext. 4329. E-mail: maria_ana_tovar@yahoo.com