Nephasoma diaphanes (Gerould, 1913)

Distinguishing characteristics Two retractors. Transparent or translucent body wall. Introvert shorter than the trunk with a few short tentacular lobes. Scattered, spinelike hooks. Immature specimens of other Nephasoma species might be (and very often are so the literature is full of unavoidable noise on this issue) easily mistaken with N. diaphanes. Size Common trunk length: 5 mm. Maximum trunk length: 55 mm. Color Whitish, transparent or translucent body wall. Habitat It inhabits sand, silt, clay and mud. Feeding Deposit feeder. Life cycle Dioecious, probably trochophore larva. More Biology & Ecology It often lives in foraminiferan tests or small polychaete tubes. Larger shelter dwellers may have enlarged and darker posterior papillae. It is often the most common sipunculan in the deep water communities. Distribution Present from the wide range of bathymetric distribution; Very common in deep-sea communities.