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New contributions to the subfamily Polycerinae (Nudibranchia, Polyceridae): description of three new species and one new genus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 September 2023

Marta Pola Open the ORCID record for Marta Pola [Opens in a new window] ,
María Miguel-González Open the ORCID record for María Miguel-González [Opens in a new window]  and
Sofía Paz-Sedano Open the ORCID record for Sofía Paz-Sedano [Opens in a new window]
Marta Pola*
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; Campus de Excelencia Internacional UAM + CSIC, C/Darwin, 2, 28049 Madrid, Spain Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Campus de Excelencia Internacional UAM + CSIC, Madrid, Spain
María Miguel-González
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; Campus de Excelencia Internacional UAM + CSIC, C/Darwin, 2, 28049 Madrid, Spain
Sofía Paz-Sedano
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; Campus de Excelencia Internacional UAM + CSIC, C/Darwin, 2, 28049 Madrid, Spain
*
Corresponding author: Marta Pola; Email: marta.pola@uam.es
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Abstract

The subfamily Polycerinae includes eight genera, from the monospecific Lamellana and Lecithophorus to the diverse Polycera and Gymnodoris, with 33 and 26 valid species, respectively. The monophyly of the subfamily has been tested by molecular data although not all genera were included. To date, relationships within the subfamily are not supported. In the present paper, three new species of polycerid nudibranchs are fully described based on specimens collected in Marshall Islands and Australia: one Palio species (Palio gaeli sp. nov.), one Polycera species (Polycera nimbsi sp. nov.) and a new genus (Paliota galactica gen. and sp. nov.). The new genus is described based on its peculiar radular teeth and genetic divergence.

The internal anatomy was studied by dissections and scanning electron microscope photographs. Partial sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase c subunit I (COI) and 16S ribosomal RNA (16S) as well as nuclear histone H3 (H3) were also obtained. A phylogenetic framework for two of these three species is proposed, also including for the first time the species Paliolla templadoi and Polycera melanosticta.

Keywords

new genusnew speciesPalioPaliollaPaliotaphylogenyPolyceraPolyceridae

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 103 , 2023 , e76
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

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