Secondary brooding of temporary dwarf males in Ephippodonta (Ephippodontina) oedipus sp. nov. (Bivalvia: Leptonacea)

Ephippodonta (Ephippodontina) oedipus n.sp. is the second species of the sub-genus and the fifth species of the genus to be described. It is commensal with a nestling series of associated invertebrates in the galleries of living and dead sublittoral coral heads.
The shell is dorso-ventrally flattened and covered by the reflected middle mantle fold. Pallial papillae on the mantle protect the animal. The young are incubated in the ctenidial marsupium of the female, but two sexually mature juveniles thought to be dwarf males are further incubated in a pair of pallial pouches. They are attached by a byssus to the periostracum of the female. In this position they probably fertilize the female.
The major trends within the Galeommatidae show an advance towards commensalism and progressive degrees of specialization are apparent.