Polydora (Polychaeta : Spionidae) species from Taiwan

This report discusses 5 species of the genus Polydora (Polychaeta: Spionida e) from the shallow waters of Taiwan and off mainland China. These include P cf. agassizi Claparede, 1869, P. cornuta Bose, 1802, and 3 new species: P . fusca, P. triglanda, and P. villosa. Polydora cf. agassizi inhabits mud t ubes on the surface of a horseshoe crab; P. cornuta and P. fusca inhabit mu d tubes on soft bottoms while P. villosa bores into skeletons of living cor als. Polydora triglanda is both a shell-borer and a tube-dweller, and no mo rphological differences were found between individuals from the 2 habitats. Five species are described and illustrated, and a key is provided for thei r identification. Polydora species with black bands on the palps, median an tenna on the caruncle, and needlelike spines on the posterior notopodia are reviewed, and their morphological characteristics are compared.