A new species of Fissidentalium (Scaphopoda: Dentaliidae) in association with an actinostolid anemone from the abyssal Labrador Sea

The benthic biodiversity of the abyssal Labrador Sea was investigated using Agassiz trawl and in situ imagery. A megafaunal scaphopod associated with an epizoic anemone was recovered from soft sediments. Morphological and molecular investigations revealed the scaphopod to be an undescribed species in the dentaliid genus Fissidentalium P. Fischer, 1885. The new scaphopod species is characterised by a large size for the genus, is moderately curved, with numerous narrow, longitudinal ribs (60 ribs at 11 mm diameter ventral aperture), a dentaliid radula, and is described herein as Fissidentalium aurae sp. nov. The new species shows a close genetic relationship to congeners of Fissidentalium and separates from the sister genera Dentalium Linnaeus, 1758 and Antalis H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854. Genetic COI barcoding of the epizoic anemone suggests the species is a member of the family Actinostolidae Carlgren, 1932. The discovered association of a burrowing scaphopod with an epifaunal anemone at abyssal depth is a new record for the region and is indicative of how little is known about symbioses in the deep sea.

Details