Deep-sea wood-boring bivalves (Xylophagaidae) from southeast Australia, with a new species described

Abstract

Recent advances in sampling capabilities have enabled some of the first large-scale bathyal and abyssal surveys in Australian waters, allowing new insights into the deep-sea invertebrate fauna of the region. Here we describe Abditoconus investigatoris n. sp., the first xylophagaid described from Australia in 60 years. Abitoconus investigatoris is characterised by a siphon with distinct proximal and distal portions, with a prominent wrinkled ventral band on the proximal portion. This species was also observed with epizoic ciliates (fam. Vorticellidae), the first known association of ciliates and xylophagaids.