Ruff sea scaleworm (Sthenolepis ruffi) and solitary sea scaleworm (Neoleanira solitaria) from 3000 meters sea depth
NEWS - Two marine scaleworms (Sthenolepis, Sigalionidae) from depths of 2350–3221 meters off the coast of Northern California collected as part of a long-term monitoring survey at the San Francisco Deep-Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site and a baseline study by the US Navy off the coast of Northern California are new species. Ruff sea scaleworm ( Sthenolepis ruffi ) has long palps and tentacular cirri, an upper group of neurochaetae with long blades, and a lower group of neurochaetae with non-canaliculate blades. Solitary sea scaleworm ( Neoleanira solitaria ) stands out among members of the genus by having simple fusiform supracicular neurochaetae in the posterior segments. S. fimbriarum (Hartman, 1939) and S. spargens (Fauchald, 1972) are found in the Gulf of California, but the two can be easily distinguished by the size of the median antennae and auricles, the type of neurochaetae, and the elytra. S. ruffi is eyeless, has smaller auricles, long median antennae, smooth elytra w