A new species of Petta (Annelida, Pectinariidae), with comments on Petta assimilis McIntosh, 1885

Abstract

The genus Petta Malmgren, 1866 is a small and poorly known genus of the annelid family Pectinariidae Quatrefages, 1866. A previous revision of the genus found that the type material of the species P. assimilis McIntosh, 1885 had been lost. While searching for material from the type locality, we were able to examine material from a similar area but collected in much shallower water from off South Africa which represents another undescribed species of Petta. The new species, Petta brevis sp. nov., is described and compared to P. assimilis McIntosh, 1885, and a revised key to all species in the genus is provided.