The first record of Porcupinella profunda from the North Pacific, Aleutian Trench documents phylogenetic position in the Umbellulidae

• First record of P. profunda from the Aleutian Trench and northern Pacific Ocean. • Molecular data for Porcupinella species were provided, and were identical to those from Umbellula carpenteri . • Calibelemnon , Porcupinella , Umbellula are genetically closely related. • Porcupinella should be taxonomically reassigned to Umbellulidae. • Further taxonomic revisions among Chunellidae, Umbellulidae, and Scleroptilidae needed. The genus Porcupinella belongs to the family Chunellidae and inhabits deep-sea environments. It currently includes two species: Porcupinella profunda , from the Atlantic Ocean, and Porcupinella tasmanica , reported from the Tasman Sea. Porcupinella species can be distinguished from other genera by their well-developed terminal polyp and their colony form, which features paired lateral autozooids on the distal portion of the rachis, resembling genus Umbellula of family Umbellulidae. Here, we report the first record of P. profunda from the Aleutian Trench, representing the first record from the Pacific Ocean, collected during the Aleut-Bio cruise in 2022, and discuss taxonomic issues among the families Chunellidae, Umbellulidae, and Scleroptilidae. Mitochondrial sequence data reveal a very close phylogenetic relationship of Porcupinella profunda to species of Umbellula (Umbellulidae).