Golfingia pugettensis Fisher, 1952

Common name(s): Peanut worm
Synonyms: 
Phylum Sipuncula
 Class Sipunculidea
  Order Sipunculida
   Family Golfingiidae
Golfingia pugettensis trawled from San Juan Channel, WA at 90 m depth
(Photo by: Dave Cowles 7-2004)
Description:  This sipunculan has inconspicuous, fingerlike, unbranched filiform tentacles (at the anterior end of the introvert), around the mouth (picture).  The introvert (extensible anterior end) has no dark bands or streaks or rows of hooks near its anterior end.  Its length is equal to half the body length (or nearly so).  The skin is nearly smooth ( papillae are present but small).  Color is whitish to gray.

How to Distinguish from Similar Species: G. vulgaris has an introvert less than half its body length, its skin is rough with papillae, and the color is dark brown.  Phascolosoma agassizii has dark and light blotches and streaks on its introvert.

Geographical Range:  Also found in the Sea of Japan and in Prince William Sound, Alaska

Depth Range:

Habitat:  This specimen was trawled from the San Juan Channel at 90 m depth by otter trawl.  Substrate was sand/shell hash

Biology/Natural History:

Note:  The genus name was created by the British zoologist Sir E. Ray Lankester (for another species in the genus) to commemorate a holiday of golf at Saint Andrews, Scotland.


 
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References:


Dichotomous Keys:

Kozloff, 1987, 1992
 

General References:
Morris et al., 1980
O'Clair and O'Clair, 1998

Scientific Articles:
Cutler, E. B. and N. J. Cutler. 1987. Revision of the Genus Golfingia (Sipuncula:Golfingiidae). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 100:735-761

Morozov, T.B., and A. V. Adrianov, 2002.  Fauna of Sipunculans (Sipuncula) of Vostok Bay, Sea of Japan.  Russian Journal of Marine Biology 28 (6): 365-370

Rice, M. E. 1967. A comparative study of the development of Phascolosoma agassizii, Golfingia pugettensis, and Themiste pyroides, with a discussion of the developmental patterns in the Sipuncula. Ophelia. 4:143-171

Rice, Mary E. 1974. Gametogenesis in Three Species of Sipuncula: Phascolosoma agassizii, Golfingia pugettensis, and Themiste pyroides. La Cellule, 70(2-3): 295-313.
 


General Notes and Observations:  Locations, abundances, unusual behaviors, etc.:


In this photo the tentacles around the mouth at the anterior end of the introvert can be seen.


Another Golfingia pugettensis individual, found in muddy sand at Guemes Channel July, 2005.
The introvert is extended and the tentacles are exposed.  Photo by Dave Cowles.


Authors and Editors of Page:
Dave Cowles (2002):  Created original page
Edited by Dave Cowles, 2005