Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.2009, Page 151

The occurrence of two species of the
family Priapulidae in Faroese waters
Tvey sløg av cettini Priapulidae á føroyskum sjóøki
Jan Sørensen1 and Vantsetti V. Murina2
1 Kaldbak Marine Biological Laboratory, Mjólkargøta, FO-180 Kaldbak, Faroe Islands. Telephone +298 736060,
Fax +298 736061, E-mail: Jan@havbotnur.fo.
2 National Academy of Science of Ukraine: Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, 99011 Sevastopol, Ukraine.
Telephone: +380 692 240571, Fax: +380 692557813, E-mail: murina@dVs.net.ua
Úrtak
í greinini verður greitt frá tveimum djórasløgum úr
ættini Priapulidae, Priapulus caudatus, lamarck, 1816
og Priapulopsis bicaudatus (Koren and Danielssen,
1868). Tikið verður saman um navnasøgu, útbreiðslu
og hvussu sløgini síggja út og hvussu kann skiljast
ímillum hesi bæði sløgini. Hetta er fyrstu ferð, at greitt
verður frá P. bicaudatus á føroyskum øki.
ígreinini er eisini ein greiningarlykil til eyðmerking-
aravsløgunum.
Abstract
ln this paper we describe the occurrence of two
species from the family Priapulidae in Faroese waters,
Priapulopsis bicaudatus (Koren and Danielssen, 1868)
and Priapulus caudatus, Lamarck, 1816. A list of
synonyms, all known locations where the species have
been found, a reference to a good description of the
species and a general description of the distribution of
the species is also given. A key to identify the species is
also given.
Introduction
Prior to 1968, the phylum Priapulida was
considered to be a cold-water macro-ben-
thic taxon represented in the meiofauna
only by larval stages. The seven species and
four genera were placed in a single family Pri-
apulidae. Beginning with the discovery of
Tubiluchus corallicola van der Land, 1968,
from the shallow waters of Curacao (van der
Land, 1968) the number of priapulid taxa has
increased to 17 contemporary (no fossil)
species, seven genera and three families.
Most (eight species) of these new taxa are
meiofaunal, with lengths less than 2 mm. All
the large macro-faunal priapulids are in-
cluded in the family Priapulidae and have an
adult length from 2 mm to 20 cm, although
individuals larger than 10 mm are rare.
The species composition of the benthic
macro fauna of the Faroe Islands is fairly well
known. Large scale benthic surveys from
1926-27 as well as occasional single samples
from late 19th century to about 1930, were
published in a comprehensive, six-volume
publication, "The Zoology of the Faroes"
(ZOF) and included samples from the sea-
shore to about 200 m. depth. Species from
all major phyla were reported. Wesenberg-
Fróðskaparrit 57. bók 2009:149-158