Diversity of chemosymbiotic bivalves on coral reefs: Lucinidae (Mollusca, Bivalvia) of New Caledonia and Lifou

Thirty-four species of marine bivalve molluscs of the family Lucinidae are described and illustrated from water depths less than 200 m around New Caledonia, the Loyalty Islands and Chesterfield Bank. Most of the bivalves came from three intensively sampled sites: Koumac and Touho on New Caledonia and Lifou in the Loyalty Islands. Eighteen new species are described. Nine new genera (Myrtina n. gen., Poumea n. gen., Solelucina n. gen., Discolucina n. gen., Lepidolucina n. gen., Ferrocina n. gen., Liralucina n. gen., Parvidontia n. gen. and Bretskya n. gen.) include both new and previously described species. Additionally, new descriptions and illustrations of type species are provided for two previously misunderstood genera – Epicodakia Iredale, 1930 and Gonimyrtea Marwick, 1929. The fauna described in this study is the most diverse assemblage of chemosymbiotic bivalves yet recorded.