Soft-bottom sipunculans in Izmir Bay (Aegean Sea, eastern Mediterranean)
Author
Açik, Sermin
text
Zootaxa
2009
2136
40
48
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.188511
0f8c81a5-2f90-47b6-a098-9d0a005457da
1175-5326
188511
Aspidosiphon
(
Akrikos
)
mexicanus
(Murina, 1967)
Description:
Body wall thin, light yellowish. Trunk in largest specimen
9.6 mm
long,
2.7 mm
wide; that in smallest specimen
1.7 mm
long,
0.7 mm
wide. Anal shield weakly developed. Caudal shield not clear. Tail-like structure on posterior part of trunk 7.5 µm and 12.5 µm in diameter. Introvert at a typical angle (45–50) with main trunk axis. Unidentate hooks on distal part of introvert; 25–37.5 µm long, 20–27.5 µm thick at base. Intestinal spiral (13–26 coils) attached to the posterior part of trunk by spindle muscle (
Fig. 4
F). Distance between posterior end of trunk and base of retractors
0.5 mm
and
1.5 mm
. Retractors originating from 15.6% and 29.4% of distance to end of trunk. Nephridiopores posterior to anus. Nephridia in largest specimen
6.2 mm
height,
0.3 mm
wide; those in smallest specimen
0.5 mm
height,
0.13 mm
wide. Trunk 1.5 and 3.4 times nephridia length.
Ecology.
In the study area, this species was found on sandy-mud biotope at
73 m
depth.
Distribution.
Mediterranean, western Atlantic and Indian Oceans (Pancucci-Papadopoulou
et al
. 1999).