Rev. Bio!. Trop., 40 (1): 153-158, 1992 AMPUACIONES DE AMBITO Peanut worms (Phylum Sipuncula) from Costa Rica* (Rec. 15-X-1991. Acep. 20-XI-1991) The Phylum Sipuncula includes about 150 Universidad de Costa Rica, and additional field species in 17 genera, most of which are called sampling in 1991. "peanut worms". The body is peanut-shaped and divisible into a retractile introvert and a Pbylum Sipuncula trunk (Fig. 2D). Olher species, however, Class Sipunculidea exhibít more elongated bodies (Fig. 2C). Order Sipunculiformes Sipunculans are marine and estuarine Family Sipunculidae organisms found from the intertidal zone to abyssal depths at all latitudes. Their wide range Sipunculus nudus Linnaeus, 1766. Fig. 2A. of habitats is best described by Hyman (1959): Punta Morales intertidal mud flat, Gulf of "they lead a sedentary existence in burrows in Nicoya (Fig. 1, 01), November 24, 1987. sandy, muddy, mucky, gravelly, or shelly Collector: José A. Vargas, 1 specimen (UCR- bottoms, in clefts and interstices of rocks, in 25) found in sediments containing 65% sand, porous lava, in the holdfast tangles of k�lp, 32% silt + clay. Accompanying fauna described under beds of eelgrass and other vegetabon, in Vargas (1988). Gulf of Nicoya, subtidal,RN among coralline algae, under rock, among Skimmer stations 27 and 29 (pig. 1, 02 and 03 corals, especially in the cavities in rotting coral respectively), JuIy 7, 1980. Collectors: Harlan heads or under slabs of decaying coral, in K. Dean,Don Maurer and José A. Vargas, with sponges, in empty shells and tubes of other a modified Smith-Mclntyre benthic grabo animals, and in almost any protected Station 27 (12 m deep, 24% silt + clay) , 1 situation". specimen (UCR-02). Station 29 (18 m deep, A singular effort to describe and quantify 27% silt + cIay), 1 specimen (UCR-03). terrestrial biodiversity in Costa Rica was Accompanying fauna described in Maurer and started towards the end of the past decade Vargas (1984). (Tangley 1990). A research program to study Distribution: This cosmopolitan species is marine biodiversity was established ten years found is shallow (intertidal to 30 m, but a few ago at the Universidad de Costa Rica (Vargas records between 100-900 m) waters in 1988). Both efforts are a reflection of the temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions increasing need for information on tropical (Cutler and Cutler 1985). Collected in ecosystems, as mankind puts more pressure on Puntarenas, Gulf of Nicoya (Fig. 1), by their use. As Tangley (1990) has clearIy Keferstein (1866). pointed out "to make tropical biodiversity useful to society -and thus to save Ít- the first Sipunculus phalloides (pallas 1774).Fig. 2B. step is finding out what is there to lose". This Cahuita National Park (pig. 1,04), December note is an effort along thatline, and it is based 27, 1967. Collector: R.1. Nishimoto, under coral on a study of a collection of sipunculan w0fl!ls fragments, 1 specimen (UCR-04). Concha! deposited at the Museo de Zoologla, beach(pig. 1, 05), May 4,1976. Collector: Jose A. Vargas, in fine sand, 1 specimen (UCR-05). * CIMAR contribution 165 154 REVISTA DE BIOLOGIA TROPICAL NICARAGUA Siphonosoma vastum (Selenka,De Bulow 1883). Fig. 2D. Isla del Caño (Fig. 1, 09), September 10, CARIBBEAN 1980. Collector: Carlos Gamboa, under SEA rocks and coral fragments. 2 specimens (UCR-lO). Distribution: This species is widespread in the Indo-West Pacific tropical region, and in subtropical waters as far north as Miyakijima, Japan (CutIer and CutIer 1982). 87"03' PACIFIC Not found previously in Central America; ¡;;t5' OCEAN thus, this collection from the Pacific coast of � 5']]' Costa Rica illustrates the capacity of the ,�/l O �:.'d species to bridge the Eastern Tropical Pacific gap. Fig. 1. Sipunculan worms from Costa Rica. Collecting sites on tbe Atlantic and Pacific coasts: Ol-Punta Morales, 02- Class Phascolosomatidea RN Skirnmer station 27, 03-RN Skimmer station 29, 04- Caimita National Park (coral reef), OS-Conchal beach, 09- Order Phascolosomatiformes Isla del Caño, lO-Islas Murcielagos, ll-RN Skirnmer Family Phascolosomatidae station 25. l2-Punta Judas, 13-Mal País, 14-Sámara beach, í 15-Bah a Wafer, Isla del Coco National Park. Phascolosomaperlucens Baird 1868. Fig. 3A. Islas Murciélagos (Fig. 1, 10), August 12, 1990. Collectors: Renán Chaves,Ricardo Soto Gulf of Nicoya,off Bahía Herradura (Fig. 1,06), and José A. Vargas; in sandstone, intertidal. 8 November 8,1983. Collector: Bernal Burgos,by specimens (UCR-ll). Punta Morales, Gulf of trawl net, in sandy bottom at 10 m depth. 1 Nicoya (Fig. 1, 01), February 8, 1991. specimen (UCR-06). Collectors: Edward CutIer and José A. Vargas; Distribution: Found intertidally and in in sandstone, intertidal. 25 specimens (UCR- shallow water in the Caribbean [rom the West 12). Punta Judas (Fig. 1, 12), August 25, Indies, Barbados and Brazil. In the Easteen 1991. Collector: Andreas Kastner,in hardened Tropical Pacific from Costa Rica and the clay. 8 specimens (UCR-20). Mal País (Fig. 1, Galápagos Islands. One specimen found 15m 13) July 30,1991. Collector: Andreas Kastner, í off the Ivory Coast (Cutler and Cutler 1985). in limestone. 2 specimens (UCR-21). Bah a Collected in Puntarenas, Gulf of Nicoya (Fig. Wafer, Isla del Coco National Park (Fig. 1, 1),by Grube and Oersted (1858). 15). October 27, 1991. Collector: Martha MarÍn, under rocks, intertidal. 10 specimens Xenosiphon branchiatus branchiatus (Fisher (UCR-22). 1895). Fig. 2C. Distribution: Common in the Caribbean Gulf of Nicoya, Curú beach (Fig. 1, 07), (Venezuela to southern Florida) and the December 6,1984. Collector: Jorge Campos,in Westeen Pacific (Queensland-Australia, to fine sand. 1 specimen (UCR-07). Tamarindo central Japan). AIso recorded from several beach (Fig. 1,08), August 27,1977. Collector: Indian Ocean locations, and in the Easteen Jorge Cortés, in sand. 1 specimen (UCR-08). Pacific of Panama and northeen Mexico. Two Conchal beach (Fig. 1, 05), May 4, 1976. Easteen Atlantic records complete this Collector: José A. Vargas, in fine sand. 2 circumtropical but patchy, disjunct specimens (UCR-09). distribution (Cutler and Cutler 1990). Distribution: This long species (up to 300 mm trunk length) is found in shallow water in Phascolosoma nigrescens (Kefers' Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica and California Conchal beach (Fig. 1; 05), Ma. (U.S.A). In the Atlantic Ocean, it is found in Collectors: Manuel M. Murillo ar Puerto Rico and Florida (U.S.A), (CutIer and Vargas, in tide pools, under rocles. CutIer 1985). (UCR-13). CUTLER el al. Peanut wonns from Costa Rica 155 Fig. 2. Sipunculan wonns from Costa Rica: A, Sipunculus nudus; B, Sipunculus phalloides; C, Xenosiphon branchialus branchialus; D, Siphonosoma yaslum. 156 REVISTA DE BIOLOGIA 1ROPICAL Distribution: Circumtropical, generally soft rack (Cutler and Cutler 1983). Found in found between 3()O N and S in shaHow waters Puntarenas, Gulf of Nicoya by Grube and of the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans Oersted (1858). The collecting site (Cutler and Cutler 1990). CoIlected in (puntarenas, Costa Rica) was later confused Puntarenas, Gulf of Nicoya, by Grube and with Punta Arenas (Chile) leading to the belief Oersted (1858). The. name P. puntarenae (the that the species was also present that far specific name refers to the Costa Rican south: that is a mistake. locality) appears in the literature (Hyman 1959). However, P. puntarenae has been Apionsoma trichocephala Sluiter 1902.Fig. avoided by most biologist for over a century, 3C. while P. nigrescens has been used many times Gnlf of Nicoya, subtidal, RN Skimmer during the same periodo These laxa are station 25 (Fig. 1, 11), JuIy 10, 1980. considered conspecific, and the junior synonym Collectors: Harlan K. Dean, Don Maurer and is used to avoid confusion and preserve José A. Vargas, with a Smith-McIntyre nomenclatural stability (Cutler and Cutler modified benthic grab, 20 m depth, 49% silt + 1990). clay, 15 specimens (UCR-18). Distribution: Southeastem U.S.A. and Gulf Antillesoma antillarum (Grube and Oersted of Mexico. West and South Africa, Mada­ 1858).Fig. 3B. gasear, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, Indonesia, Conchal beach (Fig. 1, 05), March 30, northern Australia, New Zealand, central and 1975.ColIectors: Manuel M.Murillo and José southern Japan. An almost circum-tropical, A. Vargas, in tide pools, under rocks. 1 intertidal to 100m, sand dwelling species specimen (UCR-14). Conchal beach (Fig. 1, unknown in the central and Eastern Pacific 05), April 4, 1985. Collector: José A. Vargas, Ocean until now (Cuder 1979). in tide pools, under rocks. 6 specimens (UCR- 15). Islas Murciélagos (Fig. 1, 10), August 12, Order Phascolosomatiformes 1990. Collectors: Renán Chaves, Ricardo Soto Family Phascolosomatidae and José A. Vargas, in sandstone, intertidal. 9 specimens (UCR-16). Punta Morales (Fig. 1, Aspidosiphon (Paraspidosiphon) parvulus 01), February 8, 1991. Collectors: Edward Gerould 1913. Fig. 3D. Cutler and Jose' A. Vargas, in sandstone, Cahuita National Park (Fig. 1, 04),May 28, intertida!. 1 specimen (UCR-17). Punta Judas 1987. Collector: Manuel Murillo, inside coral (Fig. 1, 12), August 25, 1991. Collector: heads.3 specimens (UCR-19). Andreas Kastner, in hardened clay. 8 Disíribution: Worldwide. Westem Atlantic specimens (UCR-28). Mal País (Fig. 1, 13) Ocean from Cape Hatteras (U.S.A) trough the JuIy 30, 1991. Collector: Andreas Kastner, in Caribbean lo Venezuela (Cutler and Cuder limestone. 3 specimens (UCR-28). Sámara 1990). beach (Fig. 1, 14), December 20, 1990. Collector: Andreas Kastner, in silicified Comments: A total of nine species in seven limestone.3 specimens (UCR-24) genera was indentified. Five of the species: Distribution: The species has been found Xenosiphon branchiatus branchiatus. in the Western Atlantic and the Caríbbean, Siphonosoma vastum. Phascolosoma perlucens. from Florida to Brazil. In the Eastern Atlantic Apionsoma trichocephala and Aspidosiphon from Sierra Leone and the Ivory Coast, then (Paraspidosiphon) parvulus.