ON TAXONOMIC STATUS OF POLYCHAETES OF THE GENUS MANAYUNKIA (SABELLIDAE, FABRICIINAE) FROM THE OPEN LAKE-BAIKAL

Ecological characteristics and morphological diversity (using the prin cipal components analysis) of three Baikalian polychaetes forms, inhab iting different substrates and usually considered as the same species Manayunkia baicalensis (Nusbaum), have been studied. Three species of polychaetes inhabit Lake Baikal; one of which, Manayunkia zenkewitschi i, is new for science. This species, inhabiting stones and rocks, has a small body (of 4 mm long), oval pigidium, up to forty tentacles, egg s of smaller size than the other Baikalian species and the same number of the setae. The species status is approved for M. godlewskii (Nusba um). The new species is described, additional diagnoses for M. baicale nsis and M. godlewskii are given.