BATHYSABELLARIA SPINIFERA (POLYCHAETA, SABELLARIIDAE), A NEW SPECIES FROM DEEP-WATER OFF NEW-CALEDONIA, SOUTHWEST PACIFIC-OCEAN

A new species of-the genus Bathysabellaria Lechapt & Gruet, 1993, is d escribed from New Caledonia (southwest Pacific Ocean). Bathysabellaria spinifera, new species, is known from depths between 570 and 700 m. T he only other described species in this genus is the type species, Bat hysabellaria neocaledoniensis Lechapt & Gruet, 1993, which also occurs off New Caledonia at more shallow depths; between 440 to 450 m. Bathy sabellaria spinifera differs from the type species in having two forms of opercular paleae in the inner row instead of a single kind. The pr esence of a ventral median organ near the anterior end of the prostomi um is described. This feature has not been previously noted in species of Sabellariidae. A table of the primary diagnostic characters that d istinguish Bathysabellaria from other known genera in the subfamily Ly gdaminae Kirtley, 1994, is included.