Aspidosiphon ( Paraspidosiphon ) laevis

Dean, Harlan K., Hernández-Ávila, Iván & Cutler, Edward B., 2007, Sipunculans of the Caribbean coast of Venezuela and Curaçao, Zootaxa 1431, pp. 45-54 : 52

Aspidosiphon ( Paraspidosiphon) laevis de Quatrefages, 1865

Paraspidosiphon speciosus Gerould, 1913:426 –427. – Rice, 1975:40 –41, 45–46.

Specimens collected:

CURA Ç AO: EBC – STA 301: 29/xii/87; Carambi Institute in front of laboratory; (1).

CUMAN Á: EBC – STA 311: 5/i/88; Playa Colarada, west of Mochima; (2). STA 313: 7/i/88: Playa Colarada, west of Mochima; (1).

Remarks. Aspidosiphon ( Paraspidosiphon) laevis may be recognized by its grooved anal shield and that all the hooks are unidentate.

Distribution. Aspidosiphon ( Paraspidosiphon) laevis inhabits coral rock and has a widespread warm water distribution. In the western Atlantic and Caribbean it is known from the Cape Hatteras region ( USA) to Brazil. It has also been reported from the western Pacific Ocean. Rice (1975) collected 5 specimens of this species from intertidal Porites rubble at Spaansche Water, Curaçao.