The morphology of about half of the valid ampharetid species (25% including types) was examined. The usefulness of morphological characters, including traditional ones and newly proposed ones, for generic diagnoses are discussed in detail. If possible, intraspecific and interspecific variation in external morphological characters, both traditional and newly proposed were examined. Some of the characters that have traditionally been used for generic identification are considered useful at a specific level. This results in a fundamental change of generic diagnoses and a considerable reduction of the number of genera from 90 described to 24 (some genera have uncertain taxonomical status). New diagnoses for all valid genera, a list of genera, a synopsis of proposed generic synonymies and an identification key for genera are provided.

Ampharetidae comprises about 300 species and 100 genera, more than 50 are monotipic. As a first step towards a revision of the family, all 30 species with modified thoracic notopodia are reviewed. These 27 species had previously been organized into 11 genera, but several more genera need to be established if we follow a traditional approach to taxonomy of family. Based on a critical re-evaluation of 12 characters commonly used in ampharetid taxonomy and traditional weighting of these characters, it is proposed to combine these 30 species into 3 genera: Anobothrus, Zatsepinia and Sosane. A posteriori the following characters are of high value in ampharetid taxonomy: type of prostomium, modification of notopodia, presence/absence of a pair of well developed nephridial papillae behind the branchiae, presence/absence of a circular band on anterior thorax, number of uncinigers with modified notopodia, amount of uncinigers with neuropodia of thoracic type. The following characters are considered of low value for generic distinction among Ampharetidae: type of buccal tentacles, presence/absence of paleae, number of thoracic and abdominal uncinigers, pairs of branchiae, type of branchostyles. The taxonomic part of the paper includes redescriptions of 7 species based on type material and new records. Anobothrus patersoni sp.n., A. mironovi sp.n., and A. nataliae sp.n. are described as new to science. The species descriptions are accompanied by remarks on geographic and bathymetric distribution. The replacement of different species in different geographic areas is shown.

No abstract

Based on material collected during the BIOICE project off Iceland, four species of polychaetous annelids belonging to the genus Amphicteis Grube, 1850 (Polychaeta: Ampharetidae) were found: Amphicteis gunneri, Amphicteis ninonae, Amphicteis vestis and Amphicteis wesenbergae sp. nov. The differences between A. gunneri and A. ninonae, two species usually confused in the literature, are reviewed. Amphicteis vestis is described from newly collected material and its taxonomy in relation to other ampharetid taxa with modified notopodia is discussed. Amphicteis wesenbergae sp. nov. is described; the new species is characterized by the presence of long, slender and evenly tapered paleae, and long dorsal cirri on thoracic and abdominal neuropodia. Several body characters with high value in Amphicteis taxonomy, particularly the dorsolateral protrusions of abdominal chaetigers called rudimentary notopodia, are reviewed using scanning electron microscopy. A key to species of the genus Amphicteis described or reported in European Boreo-Arctic waters is provided.

No abstract