Morphological and molecular evidence for a new record of hesione cf. Picta (polychaeta: Hesionida) from the western coast of the gulf of Thailand

Abstract

The bristle worm Hesione picta Müller, 1858 is a striped polychaete and a member of the family Hesionidae occurring throughout the North Atlantic and South Atlantic Oceans. This study reports the first record of Hesione cf. picta from the Western Gulf of Thailand. The morphological characteristics of the specimens were described including the prostomium, cirri, chaetigers, chaetae and aciculae. The relationships of the specimens was examined with others based on partial sequences of 28S, 18S and 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) genes. The results based on those rDNA sequences were highly consistent with the morphological taxonomy. The Hesione cf. picta collected in this study were not observed to form symbiotic associations with host species. The present study may contribute to the knowledge of the systematic biology and biodiversity of family Hesionidae. © 2014 Kasetsart J. (Nat. Sci.) All rights received.