Two New Species of Owenia from South China
This study describes two new species of Owenia from South China: O. hongkongensis sp. nov. from Hong Kong and O. hainanensis sp. nov. from Hainan. Oweniidae are ecologically important tube-dwelling polychaetes, yet species diversity in Chinese waters remains poorly documented. These discoveries significantly expand the known Owenia diversity in the region from three to five species. The study integrates morphological examination with molecular analysis using mitochondrial (cox1) and nuclear (18S, 28S, H3) markers, revealing clear diagnostic characters: tube composition (shell fragments vs. sand grains), tentacular crown length relative to thorax, and hook denticle microstructure. A modified preservation protocol combining magnesium chloride anesthesia with ethanol fixation was developed to maintain morphological integrity for DNA extraction. The species-level genetic divergence (8.5–26.3% in cox1) confirms the DNA barcoding gap. These findings underscore the importance of integrative taxonomy in uncovering hidden marine diversity in underexplored coastal ecosystems.
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