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Key to world species of Heterospio The key presented below is based on the provided by Bochert & Zettler (2009) but here the position and relative length of the first elongated chaetiger (FECH) and the number of pairs of branchiae have prevalence over chaetal types. The position of FECH in the species follows Parapar et al. (2014). 1 FECH is CH 9 ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������2 ��� FECH is CH 7 or CH 8 ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������7 2. Acicular chaetae in neuropodium of CH 1 ������������������������������ H. catalinensis Hartman, 1944 ��� No acicular chaetae in neuropodium of CH 1 ���������������������������������������������������������������3 3. Eight pairs of branchiae in adults ���������������������������������������������������������������������������4 ��� Four pairs of branchiae in adults��������������������������������������������� H. peruana Borowski, 1994 4. FECH of almost same length as all anterior chaetigers together ������ H. longissima Ehlers, 1874 ��� FECH clearly shorter than all anterior chaetigers together ������������������������������������������5 5. Capillary chaetae of elongated segments (ES) with flattened distal end ��������� H. indica sp. nov. ��� Capillary chaetae of ES not flattened ������������������������������������������������������������������������6 6. Aristate chaetae present on elongated chaetigers ������������������ H. sinica Wu & Chen, 1996 ��� Aristate chaetae absent on elongated chaetigers ��������������� H. longissima sensu Hartman 1965 7. FECH is CH 8 ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������8 ��� FECH is CH 7 ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������9 8. Five (or six) pairs of branchiae ��������������������������������� Heterospio sp. A sensu Uebelacker 1984 ��� Seven pairs of branchiae ��������������������������� H. mediterranea Laubier, Picard & Ramos, 1973 9. One pair of branchiae ��������������������������������������������� Heterospio sp. 1 sensu Borowski 1994 ��� Three pairs of branchiae ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������10 10. Length of CH 8 about �� that of all anterior chaetigers together; very long chaetae in CH 8 ������������ ������������������������������������������������������������������ H. reducta Laubier, Picard & Ramos, 1973 ��� Length of CH 8 about �� that of all anterior chaetigers together; chaetae in CH 8 similar to preceeding ������������������������������������������������������������������������ H. angolana Bochert & Zettler, 2009 Remarks According to the relative size of anterior segments, Heterospio indica sp. nov. most closely resembles H. longissima (both the nominal species and H. longissima sensu Hartman 1965), H. catalinensis, H. peruana and H. sinica. In these species, the first elongated chaetiger is CH 9 while in H. mediterranea, H. reducta, H. angolana, Heterospio sp. A sensu Uebelacker 1984 and Heterospio sp. 1 sensu Borowski 1994, it corresponds to either CH 7 or CH 8 (see figs 5 and 6 in Parapar et al. 2014). In Heterospio indica sp. nov., H. longissima sensu Hartman 1965, H. peruana and H. sinica, CH 9 is about three times longer than any anterior segment (CH 1��� CH 8). By contrast, CH 9 is about as long as all anterior segments altogether in H. longissima Ehlers, 1874; H. catalinensis has a CH 9 which is slightly longer than CH 1��� CH 8 and bears acicular chaetae in the neuropodium of CH 1. Heterospio peruana only bears four pairs of branchiae while H. indica sp. nov., H. longissima sensu Hartman 1965 and H. sinica bear eight pairs instead. The flattened distal end of the capillary chaetae in the elongated segments in H. indica sp. nov. clearly distinguishes the new species from H. longissima sensu Hartman 1965 and H. sinica; in the former, both type of capillary chaetae are greatly different in size and shape while H. sinica bears aristate chaetae which are not found in the new species. The COI and 18S SSU rDNA sequences from H. indica sp. nov. are publically available on GenBank and can be used as a reference for future molecular taxonomic and phylogenetic studies. They are the first DNA sequences published for any species of Longosomatidae., Published as part of Parapar, Julio, Vijapure, Tejal, Moreira, Juan, Sukumaran, Soniya & Csir-N, Spain., 2016, A new species of Heterospio (Annelida, Longosomatidae) from the Indian Ocean, pp. 1-17 in European Journal of Taxonomy 220 on pages 14-15, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2016.220, http://zenodo.org/record/3840250, {"references":["Bochert R. & Zettler M. L. 2009. A new species of Heterospio (Polychaeta, Longosomatidae) from offshore Angola. Zoological Science 26 (10): 735 - 737. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.2108 / zsj. 26.735","Parapar J., Aguirrezabalaga F. & Moreira J. 2014. First record of Longosomatidae (Annelida: Polychaeta) from Iceland with a worldwide review of diagnostic characters of the family. Journal of Natural History 48: 983 - 998. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1080 / 00222933.2013.859316","Borowski C. 1994. New records of Longosomatidae (Heterospionidae) (Annelida, Polychaeta) from the abyssal Southeast Pacific, with the description of Heterospio peruana sp. nov. and a general remark on the family. Mitteilungen aus dem Hamburgischen Zoologischen Museum und Institut 92 (Suppl. 1): 129 - 144.","Ehlers E. 1874. Annulata nova vel minus cognita in Expeditione \" Porcupine \" capta. The Annals and Magazine of Natural history, Ser. 4. 13: 292 - 298. Available from http: // biodiversitylibrary. org / page / 24342680 [accessed 6 Jul. 2016]","Hartman O. 1965. Deep-water benthic polychaetous annelids off New England to Bermuda and other North Atlantic areas. Allan Hancock Foundation, Occasional Papers 28: 1 - 378.","Uebelacker J. M. 1984. Family Heterospionidae Hartman, 1963. In: Uebelacker J. M., Johnson P. G., Vittor B. A. & Associates (eds) Taxonomic Guide to the Polychaetes of the Northern Gulf of Mexico, Vol. II: 1 - 6. U. S. Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, Metairie, Alabama, USA.","Laubier L., Picard C. & Ramos J. 1973. Les Heterospionidae (Annelides polychaetes sedentaires) de Mediterranee Occidentale. Vie et Milieu 23: 243 - 254."]}

Heterospio indica sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 8C7B939E-777E-44C6-80F5-1877A49539A4 Figs 1���9; Tables 1���2 Heterospio longissima ��� Rosenfeldt 1989: 231, fig. 7 (not Ehlers, 1874). ? Heterospio longissima ��� Hartman 1974: 232 (?not Ehlers, 1874). Diagnosis Eight anterior chaetigers short; chaetiger 9 (CH 9) first elongated segment. Eight pairs of branchiae in fully developed individuals. Chaetae forming cinctures from CH 10, provided with both thin and robust capillary chaetae arranged in two rows; both types of chaetae highly flattened in distal half; from CH 14 robust capillary chaetae without fine distal end, subuluncini-like, thicker than on previous chaetigers. Aristate chaetae and acicular hooks not observed on elongated segments. Etymology The species is named after the Indian Ocean, where the specimens of the type series were collected. Type material Twenty two incomplete specimens and one posterior end were collected in 13 samples along the West coast of India (Table 1; Fig. 1). Holotype INDIA: Malvan, postmonsoon, M 4, 29 Jan. 2014, MNCN 16.01 /16996. Paratypes INDIA: 1 spec., Malvan, premonsoon, M 2, MNCN 16.01/16997; 2 spec., Ratnagiri, premonsoon, R 3, NIO / MUM /4/2013/1; 3 spec., Ratnagiri, premonsoon, R 4, NIO / MUM /4/2013/2; 1 spec., Mumbai, premonsoon, MY 2, NIO / MUM /3/2013/3; 1 spec., Veraval, premonsoon, V 4, NIO / MUM /3/2013/4; 1 posterior end, Malvan, premonsoon, M 3, MNCN 16.01/16998; 3 spec., Ratnagiri, premonsoon, R 1, MNCN 16.01/16999; 3 spec. on SEM stub, Ratnagiri, premonsoon, R 1, MNCN 16.01/16700; 1 spec., Ratnagiri, postmonsoon, R 4, SMF 24097; 1 spec., Malvan, monsoon, M 4, NIO / MUM /9/2014/5; 1 spec., Ratnagiri, monsoon, R 4, NIO / MUM /9/2014/6; 1 spec., Mumbai, monsoon, MY 4, NIO / MUM /9/ 2014 /7; 1 spec., Veraval, monsoon, V 2, NIO / MUM /9/ 2014 /8; 1 spec. (sequenced), Ratnagiri, postmonsoon, R 4, NIO / MUM /2/2014/ R-H; 1 spec. (sequenced), Malvan, postmonsoon, M 4, NIO / MUM /1/ 2014 / M-H. Type locality W INDIA: Malvan, 16��01���37.1��� N, 73��25���29.7��� E, 20 m, clayey silt (Table 1). Molecular identification COI and 18 S nucleotide sequences of Heterospio indica sp. nov were submitted to GenBank under the accession numbers: COI-KT 259053, KU 221229 and 18 S-KT 259051, KT 259052. Comparative material One specimen collected by Rosenfeldt (1989) off the coast of Sudan, Red Sea (SMF 3795; labelled as H. longissima). Description of holotype (SEM images from paratypes) Longest specimen available, incomplete, 39 mm long and 0.95 mm wide, with 14 chaetigers; body threadlike (Fig. 2A). Prostomium conical, anteriorly rounded (Figs 2B, 4A, 6C, 8C), slightly flattened dorso-ventrally. Eyes absent. Palp present on right side, reaching level of CH 2 (Fig. 2B). Nuchal organs as deep grooves postero-lateral to prostomium, followed by deep peristomial (SG 1) palp scars (Figs 4A, 6 C���E). Pharynx sac-like, eversible and unarmed (Fig. 8 C). Anterior body region slightly flattened dorso-ventrally (Fig. 8 B). First eight chaetigers (CH 1��� CH 8; SG 2��� SG 9) short, somewhat more than twice as wide as long. Chaetigers progressively longer from CH 9 (SG 10) onwards. CH 9 first elongated chaetiger (FECH), longer than wide, about twice as long as CH 8 (Fig. 2 B) (length as distance from chaetal bundle to chaetal cincture of CH 10). First chaetiger (CH 1) abranchiate. Eight pairs of filiform branchiae from CH 2 to CH 9, dorsal to notopodia in almost all chaetigers and usually composed by short branchiophores and long branchiostyles (Figs 2 B, 4 B, 6B, F). From CH 10 (SG11) segments strongly elongated and cylindrical in cross section (Figs 6A, 8A); length increasing in posterior segments; CH 10 about five times longer than CH 9; CH 11 (SG12) about 2.5 times longer than CH 10; CH 12 (SG13) more than two times longer than CH 11; CH 13 (SG14) slightly shorter than CH 12; CH 14 incomplete. CH 1��� CH 9 provided with biramous parapodia; noto- and neuropodial chaetal fascicles well separated (Figs 2B, 5A, D, 7A, 8D, F). Parapodia from CH 10 backwards as elongated ridges forming a nearly closed flange-like cincture near anterior margin of segment (Figs 2A, 5D, 8B). Chaetae of CH 1��� CH 9 simple capillaries, in fan-shaped fascicles (Figs 2B, 4 C���D). Neuropodial hooks not observed. Chaetae of CH 10 backwards shorter than those of anterior chaetigers, arranged in two rows (Figs 2C, 5B, 7C); anterior row of robust capillary chaetae and posterior row of fine capillary chaetae (Fig. 5 E���F). Both types of chaetae circular in cross section at base but quickly flattening outwards and becoming much thinner at distal end (Figs 5C, F, 7B, D, 8E). Distal ends of both types of chaetae very similar in length and width, and provided with an opening at the beginning of the terminal flattening (Figs 5C, 7B, 8E). CH 12��� CH 13 (Fig. 2D) also with some robust capillary chaetae lacking flat distal end (i.e., subuluncinilike chaetae); CH 14 (Fig. 2E) with all robust capillary chaetae of subuluncini-like type. No aristate chaetae or acicular hooks observed. For a description of the posterior end, see below. Fixed specimens creamy white in colour. Variations The first body segments show a certain degree of variation for two relevant taxonomic characters: relative size of first elongated segments and number/size of branchiae. The size of the first elongated segment (CH 9) seems constant, about 2.5���3 longer than any short anterior segment (CH 1��� CH 8); the relative size of following elongated segments is somewhat variable: CH 10 is slightly shorter or longer than the anterior body region (i.e., from tip of prostomium to posterior end of CH 9). This variability increases for CH 11, which is longer than CH 10 and may be longer than all preceding segments and prostomium together (cf. Fig. 6A vs 8A). Variability in sizes might be dependent on the degree of contraction of the specimen, but it may still be used as a taxonomic character (see Parapar et al. 2014); however, relative sizes of segments should be reviewed across the genus, because this character has not been properly assessed in descriptions of other species. On the contrary, variability in number of branchiae is likely to be size-dependent. Specimens show a wide range of number and sizes of branchiae that seem to be correlated with the size of individuals (i.e., width at level of anterior non-elongated segments; see Fig. 9). The presence and number of branchial pairs increases from anterior to posterior segments; thus, small specimens (< 0.4 mm wide) bear four pairs while larger individuals (0.7���0.95 mm) show up to 7���8 pairs. The presence and size of branchiophores and branchiostyles also shows certain variability, e.g., in the same specimen there are large and thin branchiostyles indistinctly on large and small branchiophores. All specimens are broken at the level of the anterior elongated segments (CH 12 to CH 15) but a posterior region could be examined from a posterior end found in a Malvan sample in March 2015. Only one posterior region was found, composed of 7 elongated segments and a bulb-like inflated posterior end provided with 5 chaetigers, a terminal achaetigerous segment and pygidium (Fig. 3A). The last 5 chaetigers are provided with 2���4 acicular hooks (Fig. 3B); the anteriormost elongated chaetiger bears chaetae similar to those of CH 10 of the holotype, with flattened distal ends; the chaetae of the other four elongated chaetigers are similar to those of CH 12���14 of the holotype, i.e., of capillary and subuluncini type. Specimen from Sudan The specimen collected by Rosenfeldt (1989) off the coast of Sudan, which was identified as H. longissima (SMF 3795), has also been examined. It is in poor condition, i.e., incomplete, broken in two pieces, twisted and flattened dorsoventrally. According to its width (0.6 mm), this specimen fits within the range of large H. indica sp. nov. and it bears eight pairs of branchiae. Rosenfeldt (1989) highlighted the presence of palps which are now lacking. However, the relevant features of this specimen agree well with the description provided above of H. indica sp. nov. Distribution and ecology Heterospio indica sp. nov. was found off the west coast of India (Fig. 1) in shallow water (2.5 to 22 m depth) in mostly clayey silt and sandy silt sediments (Table 1). Hartman (1974) reported H. longissima based on two specimens from off the NW coast of India and Pakistan. In this article, Hartman (1974) only mentioned the papers by Ehlers (1895) and Hartman (1965) and did not provide any comparison with H. mediterranea or H. reducta, the two species described earlier by Laubier et al. (1972 -73) from the Mediterranean Sea. Rosenfeldt (1989) reported H. longissima from Sudan (see above) based on a single specimen. She illustrated chaetae of the second elongated segment but did not provide any comparison with other species of Heterospio. T��rkay (1996), Wehe & Fiege (2002), Rao (2005) and Kazmi & Naushaba (2013) mentioned these two records without any discussion of the identification of the reported material. We did not examine the material reported by Hartman (1974) but assume that it may belong to H. indica sp. nov. because of its geographic proximity to our material. The finding of the specimen originally reported as H. longissima by Rosenfeldt (1989) and identified here as H. indica sp. nov. (see above) extends the distribution of the new species to the Red Sea., Published as part of Parapar, Julio, Vijapure, Tejal, Moreira, Juan, Sukumaran, Soniya & Csir-N, Spain., 2016, A new species of Heterospio (Annelida, Longosomatidae) from the Indian Ocean, pp. 1-17 in European Journal of Taxonomy 220 on pages 4-14, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2016.220, http://zenodo.org/record/3840250, {"references":["Rosenfeldt P. 1989. Die Polychaeta der Rotmeer-Expeditionen MESEDA I (1977) mit FS \" SONNE \" und MESEDA II (1979) mit FS \" VALDIVIA \". Senckenbergiana Biologica 69: 213 - 242.","Ehlers E. 1874. Annulata nova vel minus cognita in Expeditione \" Porcupine \" capta. The Annals and Magazine of Natural history, Ser. 4. 13: 292 - 298. Available from http: // biodiversitylibrary. org / page / 24342680 [accessed 6 Jul. 2016]","Hartman O. 1974. Polychaetous annelids of the Indian Ocean including an account of species collected by members of the international Indian Ocean Expeditions, 1963 - ' 64 and a catalogue and bibliography of the species from India. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India 16: 191 - 252.","Parapar J., Aguirrezabalaga F. & Moreira J. 2014. First record of Longosomatidae (Annelida: Polychaeta) from Iceland with a worldwide review of diagnostic characters of the family. Journal of Natural History 48: 983 - 998. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1080 / 00222933.2013.859316","Hartman O. 1965. Deep-water benthic polychaetous annelids off New England to Bermuda and other North Atlantic areas. Allan Hancock Foundation, Occasional Papers 28: 1 - 378.","Turkay M. 1996. Composition of the deep Red Sea macro- and megabenthic invertebrate fauna. Zoogeographic and ecological implications. In: Uiblein F., Ott J. & Starhowitsch M. (eds) Deep-sea and Extreme Shallow-water Habitats: Affinities and Adaptations. Biosystematics and Ecology Series 11: 43 - 59.","Wehe T. & Fiege D. 2002. Annotated Checklist of the Polychaete Species of the Seas Surrounding the Arabian Peninsula: Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Gulf. Fauna of Arabia 19, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.","Rao D. V. S. 2005. Comprehensive review of the records of the biota of the Indian Seas and introduction of non-indigenous species. Aquatic Conservation 15 (2): 117 - 146. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1002 / aqc. 659","Kazmi Q. B. & Naushaba R. 2013. Checklist of marine worms reported from Pakistani marine waters. Pakistan Journal of Nematology 31: 187 - 280."]}

Parapar, Julio, Vijapure, Tejal, Moreira, Juan, Sukumaran, Soniya, Csir-N, Spain. (2016): A new species of Heterospio (Annelida, Longosomatidae) from the Indian Ocean. European Journal of Taxonomy 220: 1-17, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2016.220

Phascolion pacificum denticulatum, new subspecies (Figs. 1 A���F, 2 A���B) Material examined. Malvan, India; geographical coordinates: 16 &ring;02' 23.97 "N 73 &ring; 26 ' 15.3 "E; depth: 15 m; date: 21.03. 2012 and 02.04.2013; bottom ecology: silty substratum; Vijapure leg. 9 specimens. Ratnagiri, India; geographical coordinates: 17 &ring;00'08.64"N 73 &ring; 13 ' 47.11 "E.; depth: 20 m; date: 08.04.2013; bottom ecology: silty substratum; Vijapure leg. 8 specimens. Holotype. NIO / MUM / 3 / 2012 / 1 Paratypes. NIO / MUM / 3 / 2012 / 2 Description. This description is based on observations of nine specimens with the aid of dissecting microscope; three were mounted in toto for overall observation under the compound microscope; two were dissected for internal anatomy. Type series are small worms with a length of 2���5 mm, including the introvert (Fig. 1 A). Introvert slightly longer than the trunk. Skin smooth and translucent. Colour cream in preserved worms, somewhat darker at both ends of the trunk. Elongated bulbous papillae, 17���35 ��m tall (Fig. 1 E) on the anterior part of the trunk. Triangular shaped holdfast papillae (Fig. 1 B, D) 50���100 ��m tall, scattered in the middle of the trunk region. The free edges of the holdfast papillae are pigmented in brown colour and directed towards the anterior end of the body. A prominent tooth-like projection or spine is well developed in the larger holdfast papillae (Fig. 1 B, D). They are 7���35 ��m tall and 7���18 ��m wide at the base. At the trunk end there are conspicuous digitate papillae about 10 ��m high (Fig. 1 F). Small scattered, spine-like hooks about 20 ��m in height (Fig. 1 C), slightly curved at the end. Tentacles absent, not developed. Internally, the longitudinal musculature is continuous. A single fused retractor with two or three roots attached to the trunk end (Fig. 2 A���B). Esophagus detaches from the retractor prior to any subdivision. Gut organized in a few loose loops. Rectal caecum not observed. A single nephridium is present on the right side of the nerve cord and it is attached to the body wall for most of its length. Nephridiopore behind the anus. Ventral nerve cord ends just before the attachment of the retractor muscle. Gonads not observed. Etymology. The subspecific epithet denticulatum refers to the presence of tooth-like projections in the free border of the holdfast papillae. Remarks. The studied specimens show a single retractor divided only at the posterior end with the esophagus detaching from the retractor column before any division. Those taxonomic characters correspond to the subgenus Montuga Gibbs 1985. At present, this subgenus contains only two deep-water species: Phascolion lutense Selenka, 1885 and P. pacificum Murina, 1957. The presence of hardened holdfast papillae along the midtrunk area relates the studied specimens with the last species. However, there is a distinctive feature distinguishing the collected specimens from Phascolion pacificum Murina, 1957: the presence of a prominent tooth-like projection or spine in the median part of the free border of the holdfast papillae. Our interpretation is that this anatomical character denotes a subspecific status from the nominal form. Cutler & Cutler (1985) and Cutler (1994) noted different morphs in Phascolion strombus (Montagu, 1804), which were interpreted either as race circles within the species, or cryptic species within a large ���superspecies���. In fact, recent studies combining molecular and morphological techniques demonstrated a large potential of sipunculans to hide cryptic or pseudocryptic species (Kawauchi & Giribet, 2010; Kawauchi & Giribet 2013, Schulze et al., 2012). There is no doubt that the application of molecular data would shed more light on the relationships among all taxonomic conflicts in this phylum. Phascolion pacificum Murina, 1957, is also a good candidate for molecular analysis, since contradictory anatomical data in different separate populations were observed (see for a compilation Saiz Salinas, 1993), relating to the presence/absence of tentacles and the shape of holdfast papillae. Stephen & Edmonds (1972) used several times the presence/absence of teeth in the attachment papillae in their key to identification of species of the genus Phascolion. Later on, Cutler & Cutler (1985) restricted the use of tooth-like projections or spines in the free border of the holdfast papillae to Phascolion (Lesenka) collare Selenka & de Man, 1883, in which there are cases of 1���4 tall strongly chitinized teeth/points on the holdfast papillae. Phascolion (Montuga) pacificum denticulatum can be easily differentiated from P. collare by the subgeneric character: retractor column divided only at posterior end vs. complete fusion of the retractor muscles in P. collare. From the several species characterized in Stephen & Edmonds (1972) with pointed tips on the holdfast papillae, one, P. ikedai Sat��, 1930 is externally similar to our proposed subspecies. The validity of the species was under suspect in several revisions of the Japanese material of Sipuncula (Cutler & Cutler, 1981; Cutler et al., 1984). Finally, the species was moved to the list of Incertae Sedis or Species Inquirendum in the review of the genus Phascolion by Cutler & Cutler (1985). The main differences of our proposed new subspecies and P. ikedai Sat��, 1930 are: (i) the minute body size; (ii) the absence of tentacles; (iii) and the place of the nephridiopore in relation to the anus: behind in P. pacificum denticulatum vs. far anterior to the anus in P. ikedai. Finally, we would like to emphasize that we are reporting here for the first time the presence of one Phascolion species in all waters around the vast Indian coast. This paucity in recording species of the genus Phascolion in the central part of the Indian Ocean has been related with the lack of suitable habitats for these worms (Cutler, 1994). Empty mollusc shells and void calcareous tubes appear as convenient shelters for many phascolionids. Whether the Indian coasts exhibit a lesser availability of this kind of protective habitats in comparison with other areas worldwide, or this ecological niche is occupied more efficiently by other faunal competitors, such as the anomuran crustaceans, remains to be investigated., Published as part of Saiz, Jos�� I., Bustamante, Maria, Tajadura, Javier, Vijapure, Tejal & Sukumaran, Soniya, 2015, A new subspecies of Phascolion Th��el, 1875 (Sipuncula: Golfingiidae) from Indian waters, pp. 433-437 in Zootaxa 3931 (3) on pages 434-436, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3931.3.7, http://zenodo.org/record/239996, {"references":["Cutler, E. B. & Cutler, N. J. (1985) A revision of the genera Phascolion Theel and Onchnesoma Koren & Danielssen (Sipuncula). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 98, 809 - 850.","Cutler, E. B. (1994) The Sipuncula: Their Systematics, Biology, and Evolution. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, 453 pp.","Kawauchi, G. Y. & Giribet, G. (2010) Are there true cosmopolitan sipunculan worms? A genetic variation study within Phascolosoma perlucens (Sipuncula, Phascolosomatidae). Marine Biology, 157 (7), 1417 - 1431. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1007 / s 00227 - 010 - 1402 - z","Kawauchi, G. Y. & Giribet, G. (2013) Sipunculus nudus Linnaeus, 1766 (Sipuncula): cosmopolitan or a group of pseudo-cryptic species? An integrated molecular and morphological approach. Marine Ecology, 35 (4), 478 - 491. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1111 / maec. 12104","Schulze, A., Maiorova, A., Timm, L. E. & Rice, M. E. (2012) Sipunculan larvae and \" cosmopolitan \" species. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 52 (4), 497 - 510. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1093 / icb / ics 082","Saiz Salinas, J. I. (1993) Sipuncula. In: Ramos, M. A. et al. (Eds.), Fauna Iberica. Vol. 4. Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid, 200 pp.","Stephen, A. C. & Edmonds, S. J. (1972) The phyla Sipuncula and Echiura. Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History), London, 528 pp.","Cutler, E. B. & Cutler, N. J. (1981) A reconsideration of Sipuncula named by I. Ikeda and H. Sato. Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, 26, 51 - 93.","Cutler, E. B., Cutler, N. J. & Nishikawa, T. (1984) The Sipuncula of Japan: their systematics and distribution. Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, 29, 249 - 322."]}

Saiz, José I., Bustamante, Maria, Tajadura, Javier, Vijapure, Tejal, Sukumaran, Soniya (2015): A new subspecies of Phascolion Théel, 1875 (Sipuncula: Golfingiidae) from Indian waters. Zootaxa 3931 (3): 433-437, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3931.3.7

Phascolion pacificum denticulatum, new subspecies (Figs. 1 A–F, 2 A–B) Material examined. Malvan, India; geographical coordinates: 16 &ring;02' 23.97 "N 73 &ring; 26 ' 15.3 "E; depth: 15 m; date: 21.03. 2012 and 02.04.2013; bottom ecology: silty substratum; Vijapure leg. 9 specimens. Ratnagiri, India; geographical coordinates: 17 &ring;00'08.64"N 73 &ring; 13 ' 47.11 "E.; depth: 20 m; date: 08.04.2013; bottom ecology: silty substratum; Vijapure leg. 8 specimens. Holotype. NIO / MUM / 3 / 2012 / 1 Paratypes. NIO / MUM / 3 / 2012 / 2 Description. This description is based on observations of nine specimens with the aid of dissecting microscope; three were mounted in toto for overall observation under the compound microscope; two were dissected for internal anatomy. Type series are small worms with a length of 2–5 mm, including the introvert (Fig. 1 A). Introvert slightly longer than the trunk. Skin smooth and translucent. Colour cream in preserved worms, somewhat darker at both ends of the trunk. Elongated bulbous papillae, 17–35 µm tall (Fig. 1 E) on the anterior part of the trunk. Triangular shaped holdfast papillae (Fig. 1 B, D) 50–100 µm tall, scattered in the middle of the trunk region. The free edges of the holdfast papillae are pigmented in brown colour and directed towards the anterior end of the body. A prominent tooth-like projection or spine is well developed in the larger holdfast papillae (Fig. 1 B, D). They are 7–35 µm tall and 7–18 µm wide at the base. At the trunk end there are conspicuous digitate papillae about 10 µm high (Fig. 1 F). Small scattered, spine-like hooks about 20 µm in height (Fig. 1 C), slightly curved at the end. Tentacles absent, not developed. Internally, the longitudinal musculature is continuous. A single fused retractor with two or three roots attached to the trunk end (Fig. 2 A–B). Esophagus detaches from the retractor prior to any subdivision. Gut organized in a few loose loops. Rectal caecum not observed. A single nephridium is present on the right side of the nerve cord and it is attached to the body wall for most of its length. Nephridiopore behind the anus. Ventral nerve cord ends just before the attachment of the retractor muscle. Gonads not observed. Etymology. The subspecific epithet denticulatum refers to the presence of tooth-like projections in the free border of the holdfast papillae. Remarks. The studied specimens show a single retractor divided only at the posterior end with the esophagus detaching from the retractor column before any division. Those taxonomic characters correspond to the subgenus Montuga Gibbs 1985. At present, this subgenus contains only two deep-water species: Phascolion lutense Selenka, 1885 and P. pacificum Murina, 1957. The presence of hardened holdfast papillae along the midtrunk area relates the studied specimens with the last species. However, there is a distinctive feature distinguishing the collected specimens from Phascolion pacificum Murina, 1957: the presence of a prominent tooth-like projection or spine in the median part of the free border of the holdfast papillae. Our interpretation is that this anatomical character denotes a subspecific status from the nominal form. Cutler & Cutler (1985) and Cutler (1994) noted different morphs in Phascolion strombus (Montagu, 1804), which were interpreted either as race circles within the species, or cryptic species within a large “superspecies”. In fact, recent studies combining molecular and morphological techniques demonstrated a large potential of sipunculans to hide cryptic or pseudocryptic species (Kawauchi & Giribet, 2010; Kawauchi & Giribet 2013, Schulze et al., 2012). There is no doubt that the application of molecular data would shed more light on the relationships among all taxonomic conflicts in this phylum. Phascolion pacificum Murina, 1957, is also a good candidate for molecular analysis, since contradictory anatomical data in different separate populations were observed (see for a compilation Saiz Salinas, 1993), relating to the presence/absence of tentacles and the shape of holdfast papillae. Stephen & Edmonds (1972) used several times the presence/absence of teeth in the attachment papillae in their key to identification of species of the genus Phascolion. Later on, Cutler & Cutler (1985) restricted the use of tooth-like projections or spines in the free border of the holdfast papillae to Phascolion (Lesenka) collare Selenka & de Man, 1883, in which there are cases of 1–4 tall strongly chitinized teeth/points on the holdfast papillae. Phascolion (Montuga) pacificum denticulatum can be easily differentiated from P. collare by the subgeneric character: retractor column divided only at posterior end vs. complete fusion of the retractor muscles in P. collare. From the several species characterized in Stephen & Edmonds (1972) with pointed tips on the holdfast papillae, one, P. ikedai Satô, 1930 is externally similar to our proposed subspecies. The validity of the species was under suspect in several revisions of the Japanese material of Sipuncula (Cutler & Cutler, 1981; Cutler et al., 1984). Finally, the species was moved to the list of Incertae Sedis or Species Inquirendum in the review of the genus Phascolion by Cutler & Cutler (1985). The main differences of our proposed new subspecies and P. ikedai Satô, 1930 are: (i) the minute body size; (ii) the absence of tentacles; (iii) and the place of the nephridiopore in relation to the anus: behind in P. pacificum denticulatum vs. far anterior to the anus in P. ikedai. Finally, we would like to emphasize that we are reporting here for the first time the presence of one Phascolion species in all waters around the vast Indian coast. This paucity in recording species of the genus Phascolion in the central part of the Indian Ocean has been related with the lack of suitable habitats for these worms (Cutler, 1994). Empty mollusc shells and void calcareous tubes appear as convenient shelters for many phascolionids. Whether the Indian coasts exhibit a lesser availability of this kind of protective habitats in comparison with other areas worldwide, or this ecological niche is occupied more efficiently by other faunal competitors, such as the anomuran crustaceans, remains to be investigated.

The spionid polychaete Paraprionospio pinnata (Ehlers, 1901) has been widely reported from Indian waters. We examined 47 Paraprionospio specimens collected from the west and northwest coast of India, and identified them as Paraprionospio cordifolia Yokoyama, 2007, Paraprionospio cristata Zhou, Yokoyama and Li, 2008, and Paraprionospio patiens Yokoyama, 2007, which are new to the fauna of India. The present study suggests that Paraprionospio species inhabiting Indian waters have been misidentified as P. pinnata and that P. cordifolia, P. cristata, and P. patiens are wide- ly distributed in the Far East and south Asia.