Integrative taxonomy of P arasabella and S abellomma ( S abellidae: A nnelida) from A ustralia: description of new species, indication of cryptic diversity, and translocation of some species out of their natural distribution range

Most nominal fan worm species belonging to the genus P arasabella   B ush, 1905, and S abellomma   N ogueira, F itzhugh & S ilva‐ R ossi, 2010 ( S abellidae, A nnelida) lack unique morphological diagnostic features. Species diagnoses rely on a combination of attributes, often making reference to characters that are qualitatively or quantitatively continuous. This, together with a lack of knowledge about phenotypic intraspecific variation in most species, suggests that the sole use of morphological features is insufficient to identify and characterize some of these species. Examination of collections revealed that P arasabella is a common and diverse group of sabellids along the A ustralian coastline, although it had only been recorded here twice. The genus S abellomma is here reported in A ustralia for the first time. Comparison of morphological data and nuclear (internal transcribed spacer) and mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase I) DNA sequence data of 30 terminals in a range of analyses allowed us to assess the monophyly of P arasabella and its sister‐group relationship with S abellomma and to examine some of the species boundaries and genetic diversity within lineages. The combined sequence data results indicate the presence of seven distinct genetic P arasabella lineages in A ustralia, four of which are assigned to previously described species (three are new records for A ustralia), and two are considered as a complex of species sharing a unique combination of characters, one of which is described as new. Another P arasabella species with distinct atypical radiolar eyes and a species of S abellomma are also described as new. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London