Serpulidae (Annelida) of the Australian Indian Ocean Territories

Research voyages onboard RV ‘Investigator’ in 2021 (IN2021_V08) and 2022 (IN2022_V04) sampled benthic communities of seamounts off Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands, also known as Indian Ocean Australian Territories (IOT). Over 150 specimens of the family Serpulidae collected during the voyages were deposited in the Australian Museum. The animals belonged to the filogranin genera Apomatus, Bathyvermilia, Bathyvermiloides gen. nov., Filogranula, and Protis, as well as to serpulin genera Hyalopomatus, Placostegus and Vitreotubus. In total, 12 species were identified, including three named, but very poorly known serpulids Bathyvermilia challengeri, Filogranula stellata, and Vitreotubus digeromimoi. Nine species Apomatus nishii n. sp., Bathyvermilia rolandobastidai n. sp., Bathyvermiloides juliebrockae n. sp., Protis melmackenzieae n. sp., Protis perneti n. sp., Hyalopomatus nogueirai n. sp., Hyalopomatus rossanae n. sp., Hyalopomatus suelindsayae n. sp., and Placostegus leslieharrisae n. sp. were described. All species descriptions are accompanied by DNA sequence data and their phylogenetic positions in the family Serpulidae have been assessed.