From one to ten in a single stroke--resolving the European Eumidasanguinea (Phyllodocidae, Annelida) species complex

Abstract

We investigate the genetic structure of European lineages of the polychaete Eumida sanguinea with mitochondrial COI and nuclear ITS, and demonstrate the presence of ten cryptic species. Within the E. sanguinea species complex there are six different white pigmentation patterns but only three of these are unique for a single species. No other consistent morphological differences were observed. We give new species names to seven of the lineages from our study, providing examples of combined morphological and molecular diagnoses, apply the available name E. sanguinea to one species, and leave two lineages with single representatives unnamed. We also include new data and a diagnosis for the poorly known E. notata, which also belongs to the E. sanguinea species complex.