Leptochiton consimilis Sigwart & Sirenko, 2012

(Figs 11, 12, 36E, F)

Leptосhitоn соnsimilis Sigwаrt & Sirenko 2012: 13, figs 4 А, 5, 6.

Type material. Holotype (MNHN 23691) and 1 paratype (MNHN 23692).

Type locality. Solomon Islands, 7°43.3´S, 157°39.4´E, 930–977 m; SALOMON 2 stn. CP2216.

Material examined. East coast of Taiwan, N/O Fishery Researcher 1,” TAIWAN 2000”, stn CP53, 24°15.7’N, 122°11.6’E, 2620 m, 2 spms, BL 7.5–9.0 mm, 0 3.08.2000.

Distribution. Solomon Islands (912–1218 m: Sigwart & Sirenko 2012) and Taiwan (2620 m). Found living and feeding on sunken terrestrial plant remains. This find off Taiwan extends the distribution and depth of this species considerably.

Remarks. The studied specimen (BL 9.0 mm) has 5 gills per side ranging from valve VII to anus. The radula of the specimen studied is 3.9 mm long with 43 transverse rows of mature teeth. All elements of shell, girdle, gills and radula are similar to elements of the holotype. The only differences is the almost straight postmucronal slope (vs. concave in the holotype). It is interesting to note that the studied specimen had about ten very small single bryozoans hanging down in the pallial groove like the bryozoan Pseudobathyalozoon profundum d’Hondt, 2006 attached to Nierstrasziella andamanica (Smith, 1906) from the Philippines and Solomon Islands (Sigwart 2009b). The gut contained terrestrial plant remains.