Ilyphagus gebruki n. sp., an abyssal flabelligerid from the Eastern Pacific (Annelida: Sedentaria: Flabelligeridae)

Abstract

The taxonomy of abyssal polychaetes is problematic because they are fragile and easily damaged during collection. Ilyphagus Chamberlin, 1919 is an abyssal flabelligerid annelid genus that includes 4 species; a new species from the Eastern Pacific is herein described: I. gebruki n. sp. This new species is diagnosed as having a cigar-shaped body, more than 5 times longer than wide, with long body papillae, branchial plate with 8 branchial filaments, notochaetae with articles progressively longer, and neurochaetae smooth. The species ranges from off the Aleutian Islands to the Peru-Chile Trench and was sampled in sediments distributed between 5,047 and 7,000 m depth.