Kinorhynch diversity in the southern Gulf of Mexico and a description of Dracoderes chaac sp. nov.

Sediment collections from the southern Gulf of Mexico between the Texas—Mexico border and the Yucatán Peninsula have resulted in many new kinorhynch species distribution records and the finding and taxonomic description of a new species, Dracoderes chaac sp. nov. This study focused on the non—echinoderid members of the Phylum Kinorhyncha, many of which are rare or restricted to only a few locations. A total of 136 specimens were identified from 24 sediment stations, distributed among the following species: Antygomonas gwenae, Campyloderes vanhoeffeni, Centroderes readae, Condyloderes flosfimbriatus, Co. rohalorum, Cristaphyes panamensis, Dracoderes chaac sp. nov., Leiocanthus corrugatus, L. langi, L. quinquenudus, L. satanicus, Pycnophyes alexandroi, Semnoderes lusca, and Sphenoderes aspidochelone. Additional undescribed species in the genera Leiocanthus, Mixtophyes, and Paracentrophyes were recovered. Statistical analysis of the stations revealed a grouping of locations where the majority of the pycnophyid species were recovered. Some species (e.g., Ca. vanhoeffeni, S. aspidochelone) had an extensive distribution, while others were recorded from one or few locations only (e.g., A. gwenae, Co. rohalorum). Most of the species were reported from earlier collections in the northern Gulf of Mexico on the U.S. continental shelf, between 700–1100 km away.