Phascolosoma annulatum Hutton

Cutler, Edward B., Schulze, Anja & Dean, Harlan K., 2004, Zealand species, Zootaxa 525, pp. 1-19 : 13

Phascolosoma annulatum Hutton

Phascolosoma annulatum Hutton, 1879: 278 .

Type locality: Cape Campbell, New Zealand.

Remarks: The 74 worms have trunk lengths of 5–45 mm, mostly in the 15–30 mm range. The trunk is light brown with many scattered dark papillae These papillae often appear to have polygonal (not circular) bases and each one is covered by small dark polygonal platelets that spread over the inter­papillary area in a distinctive manner. Less than 25 complete rings plus several incomplete patches of dark hooks circle the tip of the introvert that is longer than the trunk. Distinct short tentacles can be seen forming a crescent dorsal to the nuchal organ. The two pairs of introvert retractor muscles may appear to be fused into a single column for some distance when the introvert is withdrawn. The coelom of one worm collected in May (Stn B230) was full of eggs. As most members of this genus live in some sort of protective hole or crevice it was interesting but not surprising to find one living in a serpulid polychaete tube.

Distribution: Southern Australia, New Zealand, Campbell Island, in shallow cool water. This material reinforces previous records from New Zealand ( Edmonds, 1960; Taylor, 1991).