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 the Australian Indian Ocean Territories (IOT). Over 150 specimens of the family Serpulidae (Annelida) collected during the voyages were deposited in the Australian Museum. The animals belonged to the filogranin genera Apomatus, Bathyvermilia, Bathyvermilioides n. gen., Filogranula, and Protis, as well as to serpulin genera Hyalopomatus, Placostegus and Vitreotubus. In total, 12 species were identified, including three named serpulids Bathyvermilia challengeri, Filogranula stellata, and Vitreotubus digeronimoi. Nine species Apomatus nishii n. sp., Bathyvermilia rolandobastidai n. sp., Bathyvermilioides juliebrockae n. sp., Protis melmackenzieae n. sp., P. perneti n. sp., Hyalopomatus nogueirai n. sp., H. rossanae n. sp., H. 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.