A New Species of Autolytus (Polychaeta: Syllidae) Commensal on a California Hydrocoral

Abstract

A new species of polychaete of the genus Autolytus is described from the hydrocoral Allopora californica. The atolcous stage lives on the surface of the hydrocoral within a blister of host origin. This type of host association was not previously known in the genus Autolytus .