Osedax talkovici n. sp.

Figure 3

‘yellow patch’ (Rouse et al. 2011; Rouse et al. 2015; Vrijenhoek et al. 2009)

Material examined. Holotype: SIO-BIC A 7821 female (GenBank COI sequence MG262313), fixed in glutaraldehyde-preserved in ethanol, collected from turkey ( Meleagris gallopavo) bone deployed at 1018 meters depth in Monterey Submarine Canyon, California (36°46.308’N; 122° 4.981’W) ROV Doc Ricketts dive number 233, June 2, 2011. Paratypes: Females, all fixed in formalin-preserved in ethanol, SIO-BIC A1649 (GenBank COI sequence FJ347621), SIO-BIC A7822, A7823, A7824, A7825, A7826 (GenBank COI sequences FJ347620, 431196, 431197, 431201, 431205), whale ( Eschrichtius robustus) deployed at 633 meters depth in Monterey Submarine Canyon, California (36°48.178’N; 121°59.677’W) ROV Tiburon dive number 1160, Dec. 18, 2007; Female SIO-BIC A7829 (GenBank COI sequence MG262311) and dwarf males (allotypes) SIO-BIC A7830 whale fall at 633 meters depth in Monterey Submarine Canyon, California (36°48.178’N; 121°59.677’W) ROV Doc Ricketts dive number 205, October 26, 2010; Female SIO-BIC A7827 (GenBank COI sequence MG262310) and dwarf males (allotypes) SIO-BIC A7828, whale ( Eschrichtius robustus) deployed at 633 meters depth in Monterey Submarine Canyon, California (36°48.178’N; 121°59.677’W) ROV Doc Ricketts dive number 233, June 2, 2011; Female SIO-BIC A7831 (GenBank COI sequence MG262312) on green turtle bone ( Chelonia mydas), deployed at same locality and date as holotype.

Diagnosis and description. Holotype female (Figs 3B, C); in life trunk 1.8 mm long, 0.3 mm wide; crown of palps contracted, 1.5 mm long. Tube gelatinous. Oviduct 0.75 mm (Figs 3C, D). In life, palps reddish with blood (Figs 3A–E). Pinnules of all four palps oriented dorsally (Figs 3A, D, E). Trunk with bright yellow patch on midventral anterior edge (Figs 3A, B, D). Clear demarcation into upper and lower trunk (Fig. 3D). Ovisac spheroidal in holotype (Figs 3B, C), extending laterally, or as simple lobes in other specimens. Roots of holotype longer that the remaining body, extending posteriorly as a single lobate mass (Figs 3B, C). In other specimens (Figs 3A, D, E), roots as simple lobes or extending laterally in two lobes. Males dwarfs, resembling trochophore larvae, with spermatids and sperm (Figs 3F, G).

Distribution. Known from Monterey Bay, California from 633 to 1018 meters depth (Table 2). It has been found in whale, elephant seal, cow, turkey, turtle and teleost bones.

Etymology. This species is named (noun in the genitive case) for Mark Talkovic, Senior ROV pilot for MBARI, who collected many bones containing Osedax over the years.

Remarks. Osedax talkovici n. sp. is part of Osedax Clade I and forms a well-supported clade with the undescribed species O. ‘mediterranea’ and a clade comprised of Osedax sigridae n. sp. and the undescribed species O. Sagami-5 (Fig. 1). It has a minimum uncorrected distance, for COI, of at least 16% from each of these (Table 4). The 15 available COI sequences for Osedax talkovici n. sp. (Table 3) show less that 1% sequence divergence. The most distinguishing feature of Osedax talkovici n. sp. is the bright yellow patch ventrally on the anterior trunk (Fig. 3).