Sea spiders (Class: Pycnogonida) from northwest Africa with the description of 4 new species

This work describes the analysis of a sea spider (Pycnogonida) collection obtained during 10 multidisciplinary surveys performed between 2004 and 2012 along the Northwest African coast, from Morocco to Guinea, at depths between 20 m and 1850 m. A total of 601 specimens belonging to 23 species, 7 families, and 8 genera were identified. The most speciose genera are Colossendeis (6 species), Nymphon (5 species), Anoplodactylus (4 species), and Bathypallenopsis (3 species).

Remaining genera include Achelia (2 species), Tanystylum, Ascorhynchus, and Callipallene (1 species each). A description of four new species is included: Nymphon saharicum sp. nov., Nymphon anaramosae sp. nov., Nymphon pacitae sp. nov., and Anoplodactylus valeriae sp. nov.