Phascolosoma (Phascolosoma) puntarenae Grube & Öersted, 1858

Gómez-Vásquez, Julio D., 2024, New records and five new species of sipunculans (Sipuncula) from the central and northwestern Mexican Pacific, European Journal of Taxonomy 925, pp. 179-219 : 209-210

Phascolosoma (Phascolosoma) puntarenae Grube & Öersted in Grube, 1858 Fig. 12B, D

Phascolosoma puntarenae Grube & Öersted in Grube, 1858: 13 (type locality: Puntarenas, Costa Rica). Phascolosoma puntarenae – Fisher 1952: 430–432, pl. 36 figs 1–2, pl. 37 figs 1–3, pl. 39 fig. 3 (Espíritu Santo Island, Baja California Sur and Miramar Beach, Sonora; in rock). — Silva-Morales & Gómez-Vásquez 2021: 91–92 , fig. 7 (Guerrero, Oaxaca; reinstatement).

Phascolosoma puntarena – Brusca 1980: 127 (based on Fisher 1952).

Phascolosoma nigrescens (not Keferstein, 1865) – Dean 2001: 63 ( Costa Rica). — Dean et al. 2010: 63 ( Costa Rica).

Material examined

MEXICO – Baja California Sur • 1 spec.; El Caimancito Beach ; 23 Aug. 1987; RBZ leg.; in dead coral; UMAR-SIPU 138 . – Nayarit • 1 spec.; Banderas Bay , Manzanilla Beach ; 20°44ʹ35ʺ N, 105°23ʹ14.8ʺ W; 26 Nov. 2004; PSS et al. leg.; rocks; intertidal; ECOSUR-S0280 • 3 specs; Banderas Bay, Manzanilla Beach ; 20°44ʹ25.49ʺ N, 105°23ʹ24.33ʺ W; 29 Nov. 2004; depth 2 m; PSS et al. leg.; in rocks; ECOSUR-S0278 . – Jalisco • 1 spec.; Melaque Beach ; 19°13ʹ08.82ʺ N, 104°42ʹ50.22ʺ W; 1 Dec. 2004; depth 1 m; PSS et al. leg.; in rock; ECOSUR-S0279 .

Description ( UMAR-SIPU 138)

Trunk 30 mm in length ( Fig. 12B ); body wall slightly rough, dark brown, covered with scattered dome-shaped papillae, denser on posterior trunk. Introvert twice as long as trunk, with black transverse patches and 24 digitiform tentacles; hooks 92.5 µm long, with a wide curved streak ( Fig. 12D ), arranged in more than 100 complete and incomplete rings.

Longitudinal musculature separated into 24 anastomosing bands. Four retractor muscles, ventral pair attached to body wall at 42% of trunk length, dorsal pair attached anteriorly and more displaced from ventral nerve cord. Two nephridia of 50% of trunk length; nephridiopores open at same level as anus. Intestine spiral anchored at both ends by well-developed spindle muscle.

Habitat

Intertidal to subtidal (2 m); under rocks and in dead coral.

Distribution

Eastern Tropical Pacific: from the Gulf of California to Costa Rica.

Remarks

This species was recently reinstated from synonymy with P. nigrescens after differences were noted in their hooks ( Silva-Morales & Gómez-Vásquez 2021). The specimens examined here show all the features of the species indicated by Silva-Morales & Gómez-Vásquez (2021).

Figures

Fig. 12. Phascosolomatids. A, C. Apionsoma (Edmondsius) pectinatum (Keferstein, 1867 (ECOSUR- S0281). A. Lateral overview, introvert partially contracted.C. Hook.B, D. Phascolosoma (P.) puntarenae Grube & Öersted in Grube, 1858 (UMAR-SIPU 138). B. Lateral overview, introvert contracted. D. Hook. Scale bars: A–B = 5 mm; C = 20 µm; D = 40 µm.