title: Aracia sinaloae sp. n., a new brooding, simultaneous hermaphroditic fan worm from southern Gulf of California (Polychaeta: Sabellidae).
abstract: Currently, only two species are known in the sabellid genus Aracia: A. riwo (Rouse, 1996) and A. heterobranchiata (Nogueira, López & Rossi, 2004). The first was described from the surface of a Teredo-riddled log lying in 1 m of water among mangrove roots, in Papua (New Guinea), whilst the second was found on an organically enriched beach at São Sebastião (Brazil). In this contribution, a third species of Aracia is described from settling panels and red mangrove roots in an estuarine system located in southern Gulf of California (Mexico). The new species is a simultaneous hermaphrodite and brooder, unique in the presence of a rectangular ventral shield on the collar, shorter than those in posterior thoracic segments; and a high number of rows of teeth in thoracic and abdominal uncini, covering from one-half to three-quarters of the main fang length. Information about color patterns in live specimens, glandular patterns, and reproduction is provided.
authors.affiliation: El Colegio de Sinaloa A. C. Gral. Antonio Rosales 435 Poniente, C. P. 80000, Culiacán, Sinaloa, México. Geomare A. C. Av. Miguel Alemán 616-4B, Col. Lázaro Cárdenas, 82040, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, México.; Email: maria_ana_tovar@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: María Ana
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tovar-Hernández
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000825:Animal Structures / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000818:Animals; D002140:California; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D011077:Polychaeta / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification*