Coriocella and the Worms: First Record of Scale-Worm Asterophilia cf. culcitae Ectosymbiotic on a Mollusc

Abstract

Species of the mollusc genus Coriocella (Velutinidae) produce defensive biocompounds, making them potentially valuable hosts for other marine invertebrates. However, so far, only two instances of crustaceans ectosymbiotic on their mantle have been reported. This is the first observation, made in New Caledonia, of a pair of scale-worms identified as Asterophilia cf. culcitae (Polynoidae) hiding themselves on the mantle of Coriocella cf. tongana. This finding represents the first evidence of a symbiotic interaction between these two groups, expanding the association range for both taxa, and providing new insight into their, mostly unknown, ecology.