Hidden Marine Biodiversity- Discovering New Species in Rapa snails

I first came across the unusual Rapa snails when collecting soft corals in the Westen Pacific. These snails live fully embedded in their soft coral host and I am still baffled as to how they make a living seemingly cut off from the outside world. My current focus is understanding the true diversity of these snails and how it relates to their host corals. Initial genetic work nearly 10 years ago suggested up to eight clades with only about four named species potentially representing previously described entities. Now working with undergraduate student Ryan Miller, we are taking a closer look at morphological characteristics to see if we can find independent support for the presumed genetic units initially identified.