Circumtropical distribution and cryptic species of the meiofaunal enteropneust Meioglossus (Harrimaniidae, Hemichordata).

ABSTRACT: Hemichordata has always played a central role in evolutionary studies of Chordata due to their close phylogenetic affinity and shared morphological characteristics. Hemichordates had no meiofaunal representatives until the surprising discovery of a microscopic, paedomorphic enteropneust Meioglossus psammophilus (Harrimaniidae, Hemichordata) from the Caribbean in 2012. No additional species have been described since, questioning the broader distribution and significance of this genus. However, being less than a millimeter long and superficially resembling an early juvenile acorn worm, Meioglossus may easily be overlooked in both macrofauna and meiofauna surveys. We here present the discovery of 11 additional populations of Meioglossus from shallow subtropical and tropical coralline sands of

SUBMITTER: Defourneaux E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11039715 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature