Hostname: page-component-74656f9884-j7cmm Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-11-06T12:23:41.503Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Two new species of Cossura (Cossuridae, Annelida) from the terminal lobes of the Congo River deep-sea fan

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2017

Anna Zhadan*
Affiliation:
Biological Faculty, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1-12, Moscow 19421, Russia
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: A. Zhadan, Biological Faculty, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1-12, Moscow 19421, Russia email: azhadan@wsbs-msu.ru
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Two new species of Cossura Webster & Benedict, 1887 were found in material collected during sampling from the terminal lobes of the Congo deep-sea fan. They were described using light and scanning electron microscopy. Cossura platypus sp. nov. has 15–17 thoracic chaetigers, a prostomium longer than it is wide, with a widely rounded anterior margin, an abruptly expanded posterior prostomial ring the same length as the peristomium, without a mid-ventral notch, a branchial filament attached to the midlength of chaetiger 3, and a pygidium with three anal cirri. Cossura platypus sp. nov. is similar to C. brunnea Fauchald, 1972 but differs in the shape of the prostomium, which is widely rounded anteriorly in C. platypus sp. nov. and is broadly triangular in C. brunnea; furthermore, C. platypus sp. nov.is uniformly pale, whereas C. brunnea has dark pigmentation. Cossura candida Hartman, 1955 differs from C. platypus sp. nov. in the conical shape of the prostomium and 24–35 thoracic chaetigers. Cossura flabelligera sp. nov. has 16–19 thoracic chaetigers, a conical prostomium, and a branchial filament arising from the posterior part of chaetiger 2; the entire body, including the chaetae, is covered by a thick mucous sheath similar to the tunic of flabelligerids. Cossura flabelligera sp. nov. resembles C. longocirrata Webster & Benedict, 1887 in the position of the branchial filament, the shape of the prostomium, and the number of thoracic chaetigers; it differs in having a thick mucous sheath. This character seems to be unique for the Cossuridae.

Figure 0

Fig. 1. Cossura platypus sp. nov., (A–D) methylene blue staining, (A) holotype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1779), dorsal view; (B) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1781), lateral view; (C) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1780), anterior end, dorsal view; arrows mark epithelial fold extending from posterior border of chaetiger 2 to base of branchial filament; (D) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1780), anterior end, lateral view; (E) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1782), juvenile, dorsal view; (F) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1783), posterior end with pygidium. Scale bars: A, 1 mm; B, 500 µm, C, D, 300 µm, E, F, 200 µm.

Figure 1

Fig. 2. Cossura platypus sp. nov., SEM, (A) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1780), dorsal view; (B) same specimen, anterior end, dorsal view; (C) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1780), ventral view; (D) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1780), anterior end, lateral view; (E) same specimen, parapodia of chaetigers 2–4; (F) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1780), anterior end, lateral view; (G) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1780), abdominal parapodia, anterior view. Scale bars: A, 300 µm; B–D, F, 100 µm, E, G, 30 µm.

Figure 2

Fig. 3. Cossura flabelligera sp. nov., A–C, mucous sheath removed; (A) holotype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1784), dorsal view; (B) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1785), dorsal view, methylene blue staining; (C) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1787), lateral view; (D) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1786), dorsal view, covered with mucous sheath. Scale bars: A, 1 mm; B, 500 µm; C, 200 µm; D, 300 µm.

Figure 3

Fig. 4. Cossura flabelligera sp. nov., A, C–E, mucous sheath removed, methylene blue staining; (A) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1785), anterior end, dorsal view; (B) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1786), anterior end, dorsal view; (C) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1787), dorsal view; (D) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1787), ventral view; (E) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1787), anterior end, dorsal view. Scale bars: A, B, D, E, 200 µm; C, 500 µm.

Figure 4

Fig. 5. Cossura flabelligera sp. nov., SEM, A–C, with mucous sheath, D–H, mucous sheath removed, (A) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1787), lateral view; (B) same specimen, surface of mucous sheath close up view; (C) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1787), anterior end, dorsal view; (D) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1787), anterior end, lateral view, (E) same specimen, parapodia of chaetigers 2–5; (F) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1787), parapodia of chaetigers 3–4; (G) paratype, (MNHN-IA-TYPE 1787), piece of abdomen, dorsal view; (H) same, close-up. Scale bars: A, G, 300 µm; B, D, 100 µm; C, E, F, 30 µm; H, 10 µm.