A new deep-sea scalpelliform barnacle, Vulcanolepas buckeridgei sp. nov. (Eolepadidae: Neolepadinae) from hydrothermal vents in the Lau Basin.

The present study describes a new species of Vulcanolepas from the Lau Basin in the South Pacific. The basal angle of the tergum of Vulcanolepas buckeridgei sp. nov. is elevated from the capitular-peduncular margin at ~1/6 of the capitular height. The mandibles of V. buckeridgei sp. nov. are tridentoid; the cutting margins of the second and third teeth are long and each tooth possesses 18-20 sharp spines. The proximal segments of the anterior and posterior rami of cirrus I are protuberant and with dense, simple setae. DNA barcode sequences of Vulcanolepas buckeridgei sp. nov. are similar to Vulcanolepas sp. 1 collected from the Lau Basin (Herrera et al. 2015). Vulcanolepas buckeridgei is morphologically similar to Vulcanolepas 'Lau A' collected in the Lau Basin (Southward Newman 1998). This suggests that Vulcanolepas buckeridgei sp. nov. is widespread in the Lau Basin.