Cutler, Edward B.; Cutler, Norma J. (1989). A revision of the genus Aspidosiphon (Sipuncula: Aspidosiphonidae). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 102(4): 826-865.

397914

Cutler, Edward B.; Cutler, Norma J.

1989

102(4): 826-865

Publication

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34551216

Annelidabase

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The 64 putative species of the sipunculan genus Aspidosiphon and the morphological characters used to differentiate them are critically reviewed. The monograph of Stephen & Edmonds (1972) is used as a starting place and all changes made in the intervening years are reiterated here. All available type material was studied and new collections of Hawaiian and Caribbean material are used to analyze within-deme variation. Hook and anal shield morphology are determined to be broadly useful at the species level, four characters (longitudinal muscle layer, retractor muscle origins, caudal shield, nephridia length) in a more restricted manner to separate subgroups, and three (introvert/trunk angle, bifurcated anterior spindle muscle, loosely wound gut coil) are useful in special cases. A new subgenus, Aspidosiphon (Akrikos), is proposed for those five species lacking hooks in rings. A key to, and a discussion of, the 19 remaining species (plus one reduced to subspecies) with the newly designated synonyms are presented. A brief statement of the distribution of each species is given. An overall summary of the zoogeography and habitat shows more endemic species are found in the warm water regions of the Atlantic Ocean than in the Indo-West Pacific, and that only 42% of Aspidosiphon species live in coral or rock

Systematics, Taxonomy

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