Ocean Species Discoveries 28–30 — new species of chitons (Mollusca, Polyplacophora) and a public naming competition

Three new chitons are reported from distinct and underexplored marine habitats: Ferreiraella populi sp. nov. from deep-sea sunken wood off Japan in the western Pacific, Notoplax madagascariensis sp. nov. from Madagascar, and the carnivorous Placiphorella granulosa sp. nov. from Papua New Guinea, occurring from the sublittoral into the bathyal zone. These findings broaden current understanding of chiton diversity and emphasise how much remains undocumented in the deep-sea and tropical systems. The discovery of Notoplax madagascariensis sp. nov. is particularly relevant for ongoing efforts to resolve generic limits within Cryptoplacoidea, where both taxonomic and molecular evidence remain incomplete. The three species described here add substantially to the known diversity and ecological breadth of chitons. The species epithet of the new Ferreiraella species was the outcome of a public naming competition, an initiative intended to raise awareness of taxonomy and enhance public engagement with species discovery. All three chitons illustrate the value of targeted sampling across poorly-studied habitats.