title: Sphaerosyllis levantina sp. n. (Annelida) from the eastern Mediterranean, with notes on character variation in Sphaerosyllis hystrix Claparède, 1863.
abstract: Examination of polychaete specimens from Haifa Bay (Israel, eastern Mediterranean Sea) revealed several individuals exhibiting morphological characteristics similar to Sphaerosyllis hystrix Claparède, 1863. A detailed morphometrical analysis of the Israeli specimens in comparison to specimens of Sphaerosyllis hystrix and Sphaerosyllis boeroi Musco, Çinar and Giangrande, 2005 supported the description of the former as a new species, Sphaerosyllis levantinasp. n. Individuals of Sphaerosyllis hystrix formed a very heterogeneous group with strong character variations in the analysis and the presumed cosmopolitan distribution of the species is discussed based on literature records.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology-Marine Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodestrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15784, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Faulwetter
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chatzigeorgiou
authors.forename: Bella S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Galil
authors.forename: Artemis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nicolaidou
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arvanitidis