Hi Barbara,
Hessle (1917) created genus Neoamphitrite and placed Terebella figulus Dalyell, 1853 in it, with Amphitrite johnstoni Malmgren, 1867 as junior synonym of T. figulus. As far as I can tell from a quick look, this is still thought to be the case (eg Holthe, 1986, Mar Inverts Scandinavia #7, also the Hartmann-Schroeder book 2nd ed), although Fauvel (1927) has A. johnstoni as valid, and the distinctness of Hessle's Neoamphitrite from Amphitrite has been challenged. So most likely the valid species entry for A. johnstoni in WoRMS is a dubious status, and the name should not be in use. Perhaps one of the WoRMS Terebellidae editors could look at this and comment?
Just be a bit careful with relying on distributions as reported in WoRMS. They often come from external people's regional lists (click on the '[details]' link to see which) and are not verified by the taxonomic editors. It is difficult to challenge items in such lists without a lot of work.
Geoff
--
Geoffrey.Read from niwa.co.nz
Lead Editor WoRMS Polychaeta (WPolyDb)
http://twitter.com/WPolyDb
> -----Original Message-----
> From: annelida-bounces from oat.bio.indiana.edu [mailto:annelida-
>bounces from oat.bio.indiana.edu] On Behalf Of Barbara Mikac
> Sent: Wednesday, 3 April 2013 8:41 a.m.
> To: Annelida mailing list
> Subject: [Annelida] Amphitrite johnstoni in the Mediterranean/Adriatic
>> Dear colleagues,
>> I need help concerning the distribution of the Amphitrite johnstoni
> Malmgren, 1865 in The Adriatic Sea. The species was reported few times
> for the Southern Adriatic by (no description, just listed):
> Požar-Domac, 1983; 1994; Giangrande (pers. comm.).
>> I am wandering how likely it is that the reported species is really A.
> johnstoni, since on World Polychaeta Database I see that it is
> distributed in the Northern Atlantic and the North sea?
>>http://www.marinespecies.org/polychaeta/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1551> 07
>> Do you have some advice?
>> Couple of times I run into information that A. johnstoni is the
> synonym of Neoamphitrite figulus (Dalyell, 1853), the species known
> also from the Mediterranean. But I don't think that is correct, since
> according to World Polychaeta Database those are two different species.
>> Many thanks for your help,
> Barbara
>> _________
>> Barbara Mikac, PhD
> Higher research assistant
> Center for Marine Research
> Ruđer Bošković Institute
> Giordana Paliaga 5
> 52210 Rovinj
> Croatia
> e-mail: barbara.mikac from cim.irb.hr>http://www.irb.hr/eng/People/Barbara-Mikac>> ***
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> Istituto per l’Ambiente Marino Costiero
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