A new genus and species of feather duster worm (Annelida, Sabellidae) from shallow hydrocarbon seeps in the Gulf of Mexico

The description for the new sabellid genus and species are presented, supported by external morphology and DNA sequence data (cytochrome c oxidase I). <i>Seepicolaviridiplumi</i> gen. nov., sp. nov. are gregarious, facultative hyper-epibionts within the examined methane seep communities and, seemingly, have a blend of morphological features of the genera <i>Perkinsiana</i> and <i>Pseudopotamilla</i>. Specimens also have several distinctive characters including the presence of a pair of peristomial chambers between the ventral lappets and parallel lamellae and the short, button-like shape of the radiolar tips. Abundance estimates for <i>S.viridiplumi</i> gen. nov., sp. nov. within the seep habitats are also presented.