A new subspecies of Phascolion Theel, 1875 (Sipuncula: Golfingiidae) from Indian waters

Abstract

A new subspecies of Phascolion pacificum Murina, 1957 is described from shallow waters (15–20 m deep) off Malvan and Ratnagiri in India. Phascolion pacificum denticulatum ssp. nov. is characterized by the presence of a prominent toothlike projection in the median part of the free border of the holdfast papillae. This finding represents the first record of any Phascolion species for all the Indian coasts.