The taxonomy and functional anatomy of Southern African Echiurans

The southern African echiuran fauna currently comprises two families, four genera and eighteen species. The taxonomic positions of three other species, one of Ochetostoma and two of Thalassema, remain to be resolved. Of the recorded species, three are new to science and a further five are new records for the southern African region. This survey reveals that there are ten species of Ochetostoma, four of Thalassema and three of Anelassorhynchus. The family Echiuridae contains a single genus, Echiurus and in southern Africa, E. antarcticus is the only species recorded to date. Full descriptions of the new species and those formerly inadequately described are given. The diagnoses of some others are modified and, where necessary, additional notes added. Keys for the identification of families, genera and species are provided and the taxonomic characters are evaluated and discussed. The zoogeographic distribution of the southern African species is mapped and an attempt has been made to analyse the recorded species on the basis of faunistic provinces. The phylogenetic position of the Echiura in the system of the animal kingdom is discussed. The lack of any form of segmentation of the mesodermal bands during embryonic developnent seems to justify their status as a separate phylum. The biomechanics of burrowing, locomotion and trunk irrigatory movements of Ochetostoma caudex are described and compared with the activities of some other animals with unsegmented coelomic cavities. Pressure changes within the coelom have been measured with the use of electronic recording techniques and the results interpreted in relation to direct visual observation. The anatomy of the reproductive system and the process of gametogenesis in O. caudex have been investigated with light and electron microscopes. Some observations on aspects of breeding behaviour and spawning are also included

First record of the echiuran Anelassorhynchus porcellus Fisher, 1948 from the east coast of southern Africa (Echiura: Echiuridae)

The Pacific echiuran species Anelassorhynchus porcellus (Fisher, 1948) was collected from the intertidal rocky shores at Perriers Rock and Isipingo Beach on the KwaZulu-Natal coast. This is the first known record of this species from South African waters. Anelassorhynchus porcellus, originally described by Fisher (1948) from several specimens collected in tidal pools south of Honolulu Harbour, Hawaii was later recorded and described by Edmonds (1960) from specimens collected from Heron Island, Queensland. The discovery of this species from the east coast of southern Africa considerably extends its geographical range. After closer examination of additional specimens of Anelassorhynchus gangae Biseswar, 1984 collected from the Kwazulu-Natal coast it is proposed that this species be recognized as a junior synonym of A. porcellus. Anelassorhynchus porcellus is redescribed and some of the taxonomic characters are reviewed.Key words: new record, echiuran, Anelassorhynchus porcellus, South Africa

The echiuran fauna of southern Africa (Class: Echiura, Phylum: Annelida)

This paper is a comprehensive report on the genera and species of Echiura previously recorded from southern Africa south of 23°30′ S. The echiuran fauna of this region currently comprises five genera and 22 species belonging to the single family Echiuridae. Three new species and six new records have been reported from the southern African region. The species of echiurans currently known from southern Africa have been reported from the east and south coasts and a very small part of the west coast extending northwards from Cape Town to Langebaan Lagoon. No records are as yet available from the coast of Namibia. Listriolobus capensis appears to be an endemic species, because it has not been recorded beyond the limits of southern Africa. Four species require additional investigation owing to their cosmopolitan status. A checklist of all the genera and species of echiurans recorded from southern Africa and a map showing their distribution along the coastline are given. A key for the identification of all the genera and species is provided. The museum accession numbers of all the species recorded from southern Africa are given.Keywords: distribution, Echiuridae, species inventor

First records of the echiurans Anelassorhynchus semoni (Fischer, 1896) and A. mucosus (Ikeda, 1904) from the east coast of southern Africa (Echiuroinea: Echiuridae)

Two species of echiurans (Echiura), Anelassorhynchus semoni (Fischer, 1896) and A. mucosus (Ikeda, 1904), were collected from the intertidal rocky shores at Perriers Rock on the Kwazulu-Natal north coast. This is the first known record of these species from South African waters. Anelassorhynchus semoni was originally described from two specimens from Indonesia. It was later recorded from the Maldive Islands and from the coast of West Africa in the North-East Atlantic in the vicinity of Senegal. The original description of A. mucosus is based on three specimens from Moroiso, Misaki Marine Station, Japan. It was later recorded from Korea. The discovery of these two species of echiurans from the east coast of South Africa considerably extends their geographical ranges. Both species are briefly redescribed and some of the taxonomic characters are reviewed.African Zoology 45(1): 92–98 (April 2010

Some deep-sea echiurans of the South-West Pacific

Volume: 15Start Page: 25End Page: 3

Report on some deep-sea echiurans (Echiura) of the North-East Atlantic

Biseswar, Ramlall (2005): Report on some deep-sea echiurans (Echiura) of the North-East Atlantic. Zoosystema 27 (1): 37-46, DOI: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.539273

Short communications: First records of the echiurans Anelassorhynchus inanensis (Ikeda, 1904) and Ochetostoma pellucidum (Fischer, 1895) from the east coast of southern Africa (Echiuroinea: Echiuridae)

Two species of echiurans (Echiura), Anelassorhynchus inanensis (Ikeda, 1904) and  Ochetostoma pellucidum (Fischer, 1895), were collected from intertidal rocky shores at Perriers Rock on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast. This is the first known record of these two species from South African waters and considerably extends their  geographical ranges. A. inanensis, originally described by Ikeda (1904) from Naha, Japan, was later recorded and redescribed by Wesenberg- Lund (1939) from a single specimen from South Annam while Haldar & DattaGupta (1991) assigned two specimens from Kavaratti Island, on the southwest coast of India, to the species. O. pellucidum is based on several specimens collected from Whydah, West Africa. According to Stephen & Edmonds (1972) no illustrations of this species have been given while the description given by Wesenberg-Lund (1954) is based on a single badly-preserved specimen from French Guinea. Both species are redescribed and compared with other closely related forms.Key words: new records, echiurans, Anelassorhynchus inanensis, Ochetostoma pellucidum, South Africa

Some deep sea echiurans of the North-East Atlantic

Volume: 14Start Page: 639End Page: 65

Additions à la faune profonde d’échiures (Echiura) de l’Atlantique nord-est

Cet article contient les descriptions de 10 espèces de Bonelliidae de l’Atlantique nord-est parmi lesquels trois sont indéterminées. Ces spécimens ont été récoltés durant les campagnes BENGAL entre septembre 1996 et octobre 1998 dans la plaine abyssale de Porcupine. Un nouveau genre, Bengalus n. gen., est établi pour accueillir B. longiductus n. gen., n. sp. et une autre espèce nouvelle, Jakobia densopapillata n. sp., est décrite. Les caractères distinctifs principaux de B. longiductus n. gen., n. sp. incluent la présence d’un seul gonoducte allongé et tubulaire sur le côté droit de la corde nerveuse avec un gonostome pédonculé situé près de l’extrémité distale du gonoducte ; un tégument épais couvert de papilles microscopiques ; des vésicules anales tubulaires et l’absence de soies ventrales. Jakobia densopapillata n. sp. se distingue par la possession d’un tégument épais densément couvert de papilles proéminentes sur toute la surface du tronc ; un proboscis tronqué avec les marges latérales s’unissant de façon proximale pour former un entonnoir autour de la bouche ; un seul gonoducte en forme de V sur le côté droit de la corde nerveuse avec un gonostome dirigé antérieurement ; des vésicules anales tubulaires et l’absence de soies ventrales. Cet article inclut les premières mentions de Zenkevitchiola brevirostris Murina, 1978 et Achaetobonellia maculata Fisher, 1953 de l’Atlantique nord-est.This report contains descriptions of 10 species of deep-sea bonelliids from the North-East Atlantic of which three are indeterminate species. The specimens were collected during the BENGAL cruises that were undertaken between September 1996 and October 1998 in the Porcupine Abyssal Plain. A new monotypic genus Bengalus n. gen. is erected to accommodate B. longiductus n. gen., n. sp. and another new species, Jakobia densopapillata n. sp., is here described. The main distinguishing features of B. longiductus n. gen., n. sp. include the presence of a single, elongated, tubular gonoduct on the right side of the nerve cord with a stalked gonostome located near the distal end of the gonoduct; a thick integument covered with microscopic papillae; tubular anal vesicles and the absence of ventral setae. Jakobia densopapillata n. sp. is distinguished by possessing a thick integument that is densely covered with prominent papillae over the entire surface of the trunk; a truncate proboscis with the lateral margins uniting proximally to form a funnel around the mouth; a single V-shaped gonoduct on the right side of the nerve cord with an anteriorly directed gonostome; tubular anal vesicles and the absence of ventral setae. The paper includes the first records of the occurrence of Zenkevitchiola brevirostris Murina, 1978 and Achaetobonellia maculata Fisher, 1953 from the North Atlantic Ocean.</p