Three new Loxosomella (Entoprocta: Loxosomatidae) from coral reef shore in Okinawa, Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan

Abstract

Three new species of solitary entoprocts of the genus Loxosomella, L. monocera sp. nov., L. lappa sp. nov., and L. aloxiata sp. nov., are described from coral reefs in Okinawa Island and Sesoko Island, Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. This is the first report on entoprocts from this archipelago. Whereas most of Loxosomella species are known to be epizoic, the three species were found on stones and shell remains in the shallow reef flat or on the slide glasses settled there. It is thus probable that the present species do not depend on host animals unlike most other congeneric species.