Tomopterids (Annelida : Polychaeta) from the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean

Abstract

The distribution and composition of species of the holoplanktonic family Tomopteridae an presented. The material was taken from 579 zooplankton samples collected on 12 cruises made by the international oceanographic Program "EASTROPAC" during five of 2-3-mo periods between January-March 1967 to January-April 1968. A total of 4110 specimens were identified consisting of only one genus and eight species. Tomopteris elegans (61%) and I planktonis (25%) were the dominant species during this period. T. euchaeta, and I: dunckeri are reported for the first time from the Pacific Ocean and T. krampi is recorded for the first time in the southeastern region of the Pacific.