Edward B. Cutler

Deep-water Sipuncula from the eastern Atlantic Ocean

Abstract Over 9000 recently collected sipunculans from the deeper waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean from 80° N to 34° S are discussed. Brief notes on their morphology and a key to the 31 species are presented. The existence of zoogeographical barriers at slope depths between the Norwegian and European Basins, within the Cape Verde Basin (a diffuse one), and between the Angolan and Cape Basins are noted. Most species (17) are very widely distributed (north of 40° N and south of 15° N). Most of those with wide latitudinal ranges also have wide vertical ranges. Two slope species occur on the shelf in upwelling areas off West Africa. These analyses are based on just these recent collections, i.e. disregarding earlier records.

The Sipuncula of Japan: Their systematics and distribution

The 59 species of known Japanese Spiuncula (hoshi-mushi) representing 14 genera are described. A general section on the morphology of these worms and comments on their collection, preservation, and identification is presented. There is a key to the genera and a key to each species designed for the nonspecialist. A brief biogeographical analysis concludes this work. The approximately 3200 specimens examined for this study came from many recent as well as historical collections, from depths ranging from intertidal to abyssal and from Hokkaido in the north to the Yaeyama Islands in the

A Review of the Sipunculan Genus Thysanocardia Fisher

The taxonomy of the sipunculan taxon Thysanocardia Fisher is reviewed. Originally erected as a subgenus of Golfingia Lankester, the status of Thysanocardia is here elevated to the level of a genus. Of the 17 species currently recognised within this genus, most of which were originally described from single specimens, only three are considered sufficiently distinct as to warrant specific status, namely T. catherinae (Grube), T. procera (Möbius) and T. nigra (Ikeda). T. catherinae is the most widespread of these species being distributed in the western North Atlantic, South Atlantic and western Indian Ocean, whilst T. procera is confined to the north‐eastem region of the North Atlantic and T. nigra chiefly to the North Pacific Ocean.

North Carolina continental slope zoogeographical barrier

Abstract Collections of sipunculans and pogonophorans from depths between 150 and 2000 m around latitude 35°30′N were analyzed and used to supplement earlier information from this region. The addition of eight pogonophoran species from this area and minor revisions of earlier data reaffirm and strengthen the hypothesis that a zoogeographical barrier for slope dwelling infauna exists around 34°N off Cape Lookout, North Carolina.

Sipuncula from southern brazil

A collection of 291 sipunculans from the continental shelf off southern Brazil is described. Ten species are included, two new to science (Phascolion medusae and Aspidosiphon longirhyncus). The latter comprises 74% of the specimens collected. Four are recorded for the first time in the southwestern Atlantic Oceccn (Golfingia eremita, G. pellucida, A. Albus, and A. exhaustus). The remaining two (G. misakiana and P. hedraeum) have been recorded from Brazilian waters before. While most of the material represents a warm, shallow water community (the southern end of the South Brazilian Province), another group of species found south of 34oS in deepercooler water points to the possibility of a zoogeographical barrier on the continental slope in these latitudes.

Zoogeographical barrier on the continental slope off cape lookout, Nort Carolina

Abstract The distribution of Sipuncula and Pogonophora on the continental slope off North and South Carolina suggests a zoogeographical barrier southeast Cape Lookout, North Carolina, around 34°N between 150 and 2500 m for 14 of 27 species found. Similarity coefficients and a group average cluster analysis support the conclusions. This barrier may result from the effects of bottom currents on larval dispersion.