New species of bone-eating worm Osedax from the abyssal South Atlantic Ocean (Annelida, Siboglinidae)

A new species of bone-eating annelid, Osedax braziliensis sp. n., found in a sunken whale carcass at a depth of 4,204 m at the base of the São Paulo Ridge in the South Atlantic Ocean off the Brazilian coast is described. The organism was retrieved using the human-occupied vehicle Shinkai 6500 during the QUELLE 2013 expedition. This is the 26th species of the genus and the first discovery from the South Atlantic Ocean, representing the deepest record of Osedax worldwide to date. This species morphologically resembles Osedax frankpressi but is distinguished by the presence of a yellow bump or patch behind the prostomium and its trunk length. Molecular phylogenetic analysis using three genetic markers (COI, 16S, and 18S) showed that O. braziliensis sp. n. is distinct from all other Osedax worms reported and is a sister species of O. frankpressi

A new Capitella polychaete worm (Annelida: Capitellidae) living inside whale bones in the abyssal South Atlantic

A new species of the genus Capitella, Capitella iatapiuna sp. nov., has been found in deep sea whale-fall samples, São Paulo Ridge-Southwest Atlantic. The new species is mainly characterized by a bluntly rounded prostomium and a very distinct peristomium forming a complete ring. Ribosomal 16S sequences were obtained and used for inter-specific comparisons. This species is herein described and compared to others species of the genus. Its ecological role in the whale-fall community is also discussed. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.A new species of the genus Capitella, Capitella iatapiuna sp. nov., has been found in deep sea whale-fall samples, São Paulo Ridge-Southwest Atlantic. The new species is mainly characterized by a bluntly rounded prostomium and a very distinct peristomium1082331CNQP - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOCAPES - COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIORFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO306558/2010-6SEM INFORMAÇÃO2011/50185-1302526/2012-9We gratefully acknowledge CNPq (Proc. No. 306558/2010-6) forfunding SEM electron micrographs and molecular analysesCAPES for PhD's scholarship to C.F.A. and M.S. and CNPq MSc scholarship to J.M.A.L. P.Y.G.S. benefitted from a BIOTA-FAPESP grant numbe