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First record of a symbiotic relationship between a polyclad and a black coral with description of Anthoplana antipathellae gen. et sp. nov. (Acotylea, Notoplanidae)

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Abstract

The close relationship between a polyclad (Platyhelminthes, Rhabditophora, Polycladida) and the mesophotic Atlantic–Mediterranean black coral Antipathella subpinnata (Ellis & Solander, 1786) (Cnidaria, Hexacorallia, Antipatharia) is herein described for the first time. Worms, up to 50 mm long, are elongated with sparse dorsal papillae, an anterior, ruffled pharynx and caudal, well-separated gonopores. The bulbous vagina is connected to a very elongated Lang’s vesicle, while the male apparatus, hosting a cuticular penis papilla, consists in a muscular interpolated prostatic vesicle, formed by few chambers surrounding the ejaculatory duct, a major seminal vesicle and numerous spermiducal bulbs. These features, as well as the uniqueness of the symbiotic relationship and relative reproductive adaptations, support the description of a new taxon, Anthoplana antipathellae gen. et sp. nov. (Acotylea, Notoplanidae). The observed symbiosis is ascribable to exclusive inquilinism with some parasitic traits. The individuals, living in large numbers on the colonies, are highly cryptic thanks to a characteristic pigmentation and a wrapped habitus. They lay numerous annular yellow cocoons (rigid, nest-like structures containing the fertilised eggs), in single or multiple rows on the distal branches of the coral, temporarily denudated of coenenchyme. The occurrence of the polyclad is consistent with the Atlantic–Mediterranean geographical and bathymetrical distribution of the A. subpinnata forests as demonstrated by the analysed photo archive, and a summer reproductive peak can be hypothesised based on the temporal observations carried out in the study areas.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the crew of R/V Astrea, Guido Gay (AzioneMare) and Centro Carabinieri Subacquei Genova Voltri for their help during fieldworks. The authors would also like to thank the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (Dennis Opresko and Jeoff Keel), Francesco Enrichetti, Martina Coppari, Michela Giusti and Michela Angiolillo for specimen loan and helping in the collection and fixation of specimens. We are indebted to Dr. Leslie Newman for her kindness, support and suggestions when we firstly approached this description many years ago.

Funding

The study was partially funded by BIOMOUNT project MIUR-SIR (RBSI14HC9O, Biodiversity patterns of the Tyrrhenian Seamounts).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell’Ambiente e della Vita, Università degli Studi di Genova, Corso Europa, 26, Genoa, Italy

    Marzia Bo, Giorgio Bavestrello & Federico Betti

  2. Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Accademia Albertina, 13, Turin, Italy

    Giorgia Di Muzio

  3. Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Via Vitaliano Brancati, Rome, Italy

    Simonepietro Canese

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  1. Marzia Bo
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  2. Giorgio Bavestrello
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  4. Simonepietro Canese
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  5. Federico Betti
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Correspondence to Marzia Bo.

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Bo, M., Bavestrello, G., Di Muzio, G. et al. First record of a symbiotic relationship between a polyclad and a black coral with description of Anthoplana antipathellae gen. et sp. nov. (Acotylea, Notoplanidae). Mar. Biodivers. 49, 2549–2570 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-019-00982-8

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