A new genus and species of spionid polychaete has been discovered in collections from widespread areas in the north and south Atlantic Ocean.
Aurospio dibranchiata n. gen., n. sp., described herein, occurs from slope to abyssal depths ranging from 300 m to 3600 m, and from areas as far north as the Rockall Trough off Ireland to as far south as the Argentine Basin.
Aurospio is closely related to
Prionospio, with which it is compared. The holotype of
Anaspio boreus Chamberlin, 1920 was re-examined, and determined to be a damaged
Prionospio sp., thus invalidating the genus
Anaspio.
