THE SIPUNCULA OF JAPAN : THEIR SYSTEMATICS AND DISTRIBUTION

Abstract

The 59 species of known Japanese Spiuncula (hoshi-mushi) representing 14 genera are described. A general section on the morphology of these worms and comments on their collection, preservation, and identification is presented. There is a key to the genera and a key to each species designed for the nonspecialist. A brief biogeographical analysis concludes this work. The approximately 3200 specimens examined for this study came from many recent as well as historical collections, from depths ranging from intertidal to abyssal and from Hokkaido in the north to the Yaeyama Islands in the south.