Laminatubus (Serpulidae, Annelida) from eastern Pacific hydrothermal vents and methane seeps, with description of two new species

The bathyal serpulid Laminatubus alvini ten Hove & Zibrowius, 1986 was described from the periphery of hydrothermal vents Galapagos Rift and has been recorded other vent communities East Pacific Rise (EPR). Here we assessed biodiversity serpulids collected eastern methane seeps using DNA sequences morphology. showed little genetic variation over a wide geographic range Alarcon in southern Gulf California (~23°N), to at least point 38°S on EPR. Specimens several off Costa Rica (Mexico) differed markedly those sequence data having seven thoracic chaetigers lacking Spirobranchus-type special collar chaetae, thus fitting diagnosis Neovermilia. However, phylogenetic analysis molecular that L. seep specimens form well-supported clade. Moreover, among there minimally ~7% distance mitochondrial cytochrome b between shallow-water (1000 m) clade restricted deep-water (1800 California. We describe taxa here as morphologically indistinguishable paulbrooksi n. sp. joycebrooksae