° References of the most recent published diagnoses

Diagnosis

Last update: November 9, 2009   Generally weakly marked collar-fold below the lophophore (genus character): sometimes only marked on the anal side. Extended specimens more than 150 mm long, diameter 0.5-2 mm. Colour in life: body pink, lophophore transparent with pigment spots. Lophophore horseshoe-shaped with ends turned medially, up to one coil. Tentacles up to 160, length 2-3 mm. Nephridia with a single funnel (generally surrounded by nephridial epithelium during the reproductive period); descending and ascending branch, nephridiopore on anal papilla opening below anus on collar fold within invagination. Two giant nerve fibres: left fibre: 15-35 µm in diameter; right fibre only present at the nephridial level on the left side. Longitudinal muscle bundles of feathery type; the mean formula and general formula are respectively: 22 | 21 13 | 11 = 67  and  14-33 | 13-34  7-20 |  6-20 [44-102]   (n= 263 individuals) Sexual reproduction dioecious; females probably having brooding pattern; males with large glandular lophophoral organs. Asexual reproduction by transverse fission. Phoronopsis albomaculata is embedded vertically in soft sediments, from coarse sands to mud, in waters with high levels of suspended materials and under moderate to strong bottom currents. Depth range extends from the intertidal zone to 60 m. The distribution of Phoronis albomaculata is represented below on the map. Type-locality: False Bay (South Africa) © Christian C. Emig Last update: September 30, 2017