Two gnathiid isopods utilizing empty tubes of the polychaete worm Spirobranchus akitsushima in the Seto Inland Sea, western Japan, with the description of a new species
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Two gnathiid species were collected from around Kagawa Prefecture, Seto Inland Sea, western Japan. One species was described as Caecognathia tubicola sp. nov. with detailed morphological examinations of male and female adults and larvae. A total of 130 individuals of C. tubicola were obtained from empty tubes of the polychaetous annelid Spirobranchus akitsushima in the intertidal zone. This species probably completes its life cycle around the aggregation of empty calcareous tubes of S. akitsushima on bedrock, as larvae at all developmental stages were found. Some adult females have significantly narrow thoraxes, a morphology that may be adapted to the elongate tubes. Small numbers of Elaphognathia cornigera (Nunomura, 1992) were also found in empty S. akitsushima tubes.
Source: Plankton and Benthos Research
DOI: 10.3800/pbr.20.248
Authors: Yuzo Ota, Sadaaki Yoshimatsu
Language: English
Subfield: Oceanography
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Life below water
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7106706391