Schizocardium Spengel, 1893

Cameron, C. B. & Perez, M., 2012, Spengelidae (Hemichordata: Enteropneusta) from the Eastern Pacific including a new species, Schizocardium californicum, from California, Zootaxa 3569, pp. 79-88 : 81

Genus Schizocardium Spengel, 1893

Type species. Schizocardium brasiliense ( Spengel, 1893)

Diagnosis. The stomochord bifurcates anteriorly and extends into the proboscis coelom as paired lateral diverticula. The cardiac vesicle extends anteriorly as a pair of long tubes and is surrounded by a paired glomerulus. The ventral septum of the proboscis extends to the tip of this process. Peribuccal cavities extend forward from the trunk coelom. The collar is broader than long. The genus is distinguished by the fact that the gills are large and comprise virtually the whole wall of the pharynx in transverse section. As a consequence of this, the midventral digestive pharynx is only a narrow hypobranchial strip. There is a well-developed mushroom-shaped dorsal epibranchial ridge that projects into the pharynx lumen that has several distinct zones of cells (see Ruppert et al. 1999). Peripharyngeal cavities are present in the pharynx tongue bars. Collagenous synapticula provide a bridge between primary and secondary (tongue) gill bars. Only lateral gonads occur. The lateral genital ridges may be conspicuous posterior to the branchial region. The hepatic caeca are present as two discrete rows of sacs. Anterior and posterior intestinal pores are present.

Remarks. Of the two species hitherto known, S. peruvianum ( Spengel, 1893) is from the area under consideration. In addition we have encountered a new species, S. californicum , which is described below. S. peruvianum has not been fully described by Spengel, since he did not have adequate material. We have obtained nearly complete specimens and hence the description given below is more detailed than that of Spengel. The genus as revised above would now include the following species: S. peruvianum ( Spengel, 1893) , S. brasiliense ( Spengel, 1893) and S. californicum , n.sp.