First record of a christmas tree worm in a mushroom coral (Loyalty Islands, Southwest Pacific)

During a biodiversity survey at Lifou Island in the Loyalty Islands (20 51.328S, 166 23.791E) on 18 February 2014, an attached mushroom coral, Podabacia motuporensis Veron, 1990, with a serpulid tube was found on the reef slope at 25 m depth. A series of photographs was made to document the process of the worms protrusion from its tube starting by the operculum (Fig. 1b) and succeeded by the unfolding twin spiral branchiae at both sides of the peduncle (Figs. 1c, d). Based on the arrangement of the antler-like spines of the operculum and the mauve tube colouration, the worm was identied as Spirobranchus richardsmithi Pillai, 1990.