Peanut worms of the phylum Sipuncula from the Nha Trang Bay (South China Sea) with a key to species
Author
Adrianov, Andrey V.
Author
Maiorova, Anastassya S.
text
Zootaxa
2012
3166
41
58
journal article
45619
10.5281/zenodo.279772
32627594-388c-40b3-8481-0b241b850847
1175-5326
279772
Aspidosiphon gracilis
(Baird, 1868)
(
Fig. 5
D–H)
Material.
Nha Trang Bay: Tre
Island
, Dombay Harbor,
10 m
depth, tube of
Cerianthus filiformis
,
1 specimen
.
Description.
Trunk long and thin,
20 mm
long, about
2 mm
wide, yellow-grey or light brown, with minute papillae; introvert 1.5 X trunk length. Anal shield weakly developed, composed of noncontiguous brown papillae and dark platelets arranged in weakly defined longitudinal rows. Caudal shield light brown, conical, with distinct radial grooves. Unidentate hooks arranged in rings in the distal introvert; proximal part of the introvert with conical hooks. Base of unidentate hooks with bifurcated posterior edge. Retractor muscles originate close to the posterior trunk end, at 5–8% of trunk length from the caudal shield. Gut with 8–10 loops; spindle muscle attached posteriorly. Nephridia are free, 60% of trunk length.
Discussion.
This species varies from other representatives of the subgenus
Aspidosiphon (Aspidosiphon)
in the structure of both the anal and caudal shields.
Aspidosiphon gracilis
is a tropical species known from the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It has been found from
Australia
to the
Philippines
in the West Pacific. It inhabits coral rocks and mollusk shells in intertidal and shallow water.