First sighting of Streptosyllis nunezi (Polychaeta: Syllidae) in the German Bight, SE North Sea

Long-term marine monitoring programmes have provided numerous quantitative data on the composition of North Sea benthic communities and their changes over time, including species introductions. Particularly in the German Bight, the rapid environmental and hydrographical changes are promoting the spreading (usually anthropogenically mediated) of neobiota, with more than 150 species being registered to date. During routine seafloor monitoring, grab samples taken on the subtidal sandbank of the Borkum Reef Ground revealed the presence of the polychaete Streptosyllis nunezi in different years, a species previously unreported in the southern North Sea. In this paper, these individuals are described morphologically and the population status is discussed. Our finding demonstrates the importance of intensive and regular environmental monitoring programmes for the assessment of regional biodiversity and its potential changes.