Thyone pawsoni Tommasi, 1972

Figure 22

Thyone pawsoni .— Tommasi, 1972: 19, figs. 12–15; Miller and Pawson,1984: 42, figs.34, 35.

Material examined. USNM E19415, off S.C., 32°36'N, 78°39'W, R/V Pierce, Sta 5B, Aug.31, 1977, 42m. USNM E19512, off Georgia, 31°12'N, 81°08'W, R/V Pierce, Sta 2F, May 12, 1977, 11m. USNM E30513, off N.C., 33°32’48”N, 77°24’18”W, R/V Dan Moore Sta MS04, May 18, 1981, 32m. USNM E30513, off N.C., 33°47’42”N, 76°34’48”W, R/V Dan Moore Sta OS05, May 14, 1981, 104m. USNM E32253, off N.C., 33°49’06”N, 76°34’24”W, R/V Dan Moore Sta OS05, Aug. 11, 1981, 62m. USNM E41652, Florida, 30°37’00”N, 81°10’42”W, R/V Bagby, Sta lS03, Aug. 4, 1980, 22m. DML 3107, 34 º29'N, 76º13.2'W, R/V Eastward E-32-69, October 1, 1969, 37 m.

Diagnosis. Body 10 to 60mm long, tapering abruptly posteriorly to form short tail. Color chestnut – yellowish to brown. Radii indistinct. Tentacles 10, ventral pair smaller. Ossicles tables (85–135 μm), often with more than 4 perforations; spire of supporting tables abruptly tapering.

Distribution. SC to FL, Eastern Gulf of Mexico, Venezuela.

Habitat. Burrows in silt-covered quartz sand and crushed shell sediment. 6– 51 m.

Remarks. Smaller individuals of this species may have tables with mostly four perforations, but scattered tables with more than four perforations can usually be found.