Aspidosiphon (Paraspidosiphon) fischeri

Dean, Harlan K., Hernández-Ávila, Iván & Cutler, Edward B., 2007, Sipunculans of the Caribbean coast of Venezuela and Curaçao, Zootaxa 1431, pp. 45-54 : 51-52

Aspidosiphon (Paraspidosiphon) fischeri ten Broeke, 1925

Paraspidosiphon fischeri ten Broeke, 1925:92–93. – Rice, 1975:40 –41, 44.

Specimens collected:

CURA Ç AO: EBC – STA 301: 29/xii/87; Carambi Institute in front of laboratory; (2). STA 303: 29/xii/87; 12º 0 4’ N, 68º 53’ W; Caracas Bay, to right of causeway; (1). STA 304: 30/xii/87; Caracas Bay, west side, higher wave energy near mouth; (1). STA 309: 2/i/88; 12º 0 5’ N, 68º54’ W; Jan Thiel Baai Lagoen; (1).

CUMAN Á: EBC – STA 310: 4.i/88; 9º16’ N, 64º 24’ W; Mochima bay, Playa Blanca; (2). STA 311: 5/i/88; Playa Colarada, west of Mochima; (9). STA 312: 6/i/88: 10º27’ N 68º09’W; at Galita near Playa Quetepe, east of Cumaná; (4). STA 313: 7/i/88: Playa Colarada, west of Mochima; (22).

LOS ROQUES ARCHIPELAGO: EBC – STA 317: 12/i/88; Isla Dos Mosquises Sur, Cayo off Southeast corner in outer Acropora reef; (1).

Remarks. As noted above, members of the subgenus Paraspidosiphon have a longitudinal muscle layer separated into bands. Aspidosiphon fischeri has pale hooks with a triangular base and both unidentate and bidentate compressed hooks on the inrtovert. The morphologically similar A. parvulus Gerould, 1913 has an anal shield with a diffuse border and nephridea greater than half the trunk length.

Distribution. Aspidospiphon (Paraspidosiphon) fischeri is common in shallow coral rock and has been collected in the Caribbean from Cuba to Brazil. It has also been recorded from several sites in the eastern Pacific Ocean ( Cutler, 1994). Rice (1975) encountered this species at Margarita Island, Cubagua Island, and Los Totumos in Venezuela and Piscadera Baai and Spaacsche Water in Curaçao in calcareous rock and Porites rubble.