Resumen de Four New Records of Eunicidae (Annelida: Polychaeta) from the Western Philippines Islands
During December 2010, an expedition was conducted to the Philippines Islands aiming to collect coastal polychaetes in the area. Among the abundant material, 593 individuals belonging to the family Eunicidae (Annelida; Polychaeta) were found and studied, and their identification yielded seven species. Four of them were new records to Philippines, enlarging the list of eunicid polychaetes of the country from 32 to 36 species; moreover, two of the species new for these islands were also new records to South China Sea. Additionally, the taxonomic status of one of them is modified, by transferring it from genus Eunice Cuvier, 1817 to Leodice Lamarck, 1818. Eunicids are especially abundant and diverse in benthic environments of tropical seas, were they act mainly as predators and scavengers or as herbivores. Some species are important in coral reefs because their boring abilities make them key organisms in the bioerosion processes. In this respect, knowledge on the composition of their communities is of capital for the understanding of ecological structure of the system.
