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vol-33FAMILY PARAONIDAE (POLYCHAETA), A NEW RECORD TO
THE EGYPTIAN MEDITERRANEAN WATERS
SAMIA A. SELIM
National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Alexandria, Egypt.
[email protected]
Keywords: Polychaeta, Paraonidae, New records, Egyptian Mediterranean Coast
ABSTRACT
The Paraonidae are a polychaete family which has not been reported from the Egyptian
Mediterranean waters until recently. Ten species are recorded for the first time in the
Egyptian waters affiliated to three genera. In order to achieve this study sediment samples
were collected from different sites along the Egyptian Mediterranean Sea extending from
El-Sallum to Port-Said. Detailed illustrative taxonomical characters and distribution are
given for each species and discussed. Geographic distribution of the new findings indicated
that all species recorded were previously encountered in both Mediterranean Sea and
Atlantic Ocean. Two species are cosmopolitan namely Levinsenia gracilis and Cirrophorus
branchiatus, whereas Aricidea claudiae seems to be Mediterranean species
