° References of the most recent published diagnoses Pictures of Phoronopsis harmeri

Diagnosis

Last update: July 5, 2007   Collar-fold below the lophophore (genus character): well-marked around the lophophore. Extended specimens up to 220 mm long, diameter 0.6-4 mm. Colour in life: body pink to greenish, lophophore transparent sometimes white pigmented. Lophophore spiral with 1 to 2.5 coils on each side. Up to 400 tentacles, 2-5 mm in length. Nephridia with two pseudo-funnels (anal smaller, oral larger), descending and ascending branch, nephridiopore on anal papilla opening below anus on collar fold within invagination. Two giant nerve fibres: left fibre: 20-60 µm in diameter; right fibre only present at the nephridial level. Longitudinal muscle bundles of feathery type; the mean formula and general formula are respectively: 35 | 36 20 | 18 = 109  and  22-58 | 21-55 12-28 | 11-26 [75-166]   (n= 529 individuals) Sexual reproduction dioecious; females shed the ova directly in the sea-water; males with large membranous lophophoral organs. Asexual reproduction by transverse fission. Phoronopsis harmeri is embedded vertically in soft sediments from sands to muddy sand, sometimes with a coarse fraction; depths range from the intertidal zone to 102 m, with a common range from 0-20 m. Densities may reach 28,000 ind.m-2. Phoronis harmeri is a rather cosmopolitan species: the distribution is represented below on the map. Type-locality: Departure Bay, Vancouver Island (Canada) © Christian C. Emig Last update: March 2, 2017