Epibionts on Flexopecten felipponei (Dall, 1922), an uncommon scallop from Argentina

Flexopecten felipponei (Dall, 1922) is a non-commercial, seldom reported pectinid from the SW Atlantic Ocean. In this contribution we review its taxonomy, describe epilaunal species and their levels of encrustation, and discuss the composition of the macrobenthic assemblage where this scallop lives. Eighteen epibiont taxa were observed to live on the valves of these scallops. The most frequent and abundant epibionts on F. felipponei were serpulids, barnacles, and oysters. Although both valves were encrusted, the left valves had higher percentages of coverage. The benthic community contained 69 invertebrate taxa that generally characterize other mid-shelf bottoms between 37 degrees S and 39 degrees S. Eight pea crabs of the species Tumidotheres maculatus (Say, 1818) were found inside eight individuals of F. felipponei. Two other scallops had burrows of Polydora websteri Hartman, 1943. These were the first observations of these infestations on F. felipponei.