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
Cloeosiphon aspergillus
(de Quatrefages, 1865)
(
Fig. 6
C–D)
Material.
Nha Trang Bay: Mot Island, coral rubble,
7 m
,
May 2008,
12
specimens; Tre
Island
, coral rubble,
6 m
,
Jun 2008,
18
specimens; Tre
Island
, biofouling, intertidal,
Nov 2009,
6
specimens; Mung Island, coral rubble,
12 m
,
May 2008,
15
specimens; Nok Island, coral rubble,
5 m
,
8 specimens
; Diamond Bay: coral rubble, intertidal,
Jun 2008,
25
specimens;
Nov 2009,
16
specimens;
Mar 2010
,
8
specimens.
Description.
Trunk up to
70 mm
long,
4–5 mm
wide, light brown or grey, with minute brown papillae, semitransparent; introvert shorter than trunk. Anal shield consists of white rhomboid or polygonal mosaicly arranged, calcareous units, with a dark central pore; caudal shield absent. Introvert protruded through the center of the anal shield; bidentate hooks arranged in rings distally. Longitudinal musculature continuous; retractor muscles originate in the middle of the trunk. Gut with 10 loops. Nephridia are about 70–90% of trunk length, completely attached to the body wall.
Discussion.
This is the only species of the genus
Cloeosiphon
, and because of its unique configuration between the anal shield and the introvert by far the most distinctive species of sipunculans.
This tropical species is widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific. In the West Pacific it has been reported from
Australia
to Hainan Island, inhabiting coral rocks in shallow water.