A new endosymbiotic bivalve (Heterodonta: Galeommatoidea), from Pacific holothurians.

ABSTRACT

A fourth known species of Entovalva (Mollusca Galeommatoidea), found in the esophagus of Holothuria spinifera and Holothuria leucospilota from Nha Trang Bay, Viet Nam, is described. Morphologic comparisons with the 3 previously described species are presented and the first DNA sequences for Entovalva are provided. Entovalva nhatrangensis, n. sp., differs from Entovalva mirabilis Voeltzkow, 1890 in its body shape, folded outer body epithelium, and lack of ovary in the foot. It differs from Entovalva (Cycladoconcha) amboinensis (Spärk, 1931) in its body shape and folded outer body epithelium. It differs from Entovalva lessonothuriae Kato, 1998, in shape of its foot. Two partial cytochrome oxidase I sequences for species diagnostic use have been submitted to GenBank.