BASEODISCUS PUNNETTI (COE, 1904)

(FIG. 3I)

Taeniosoma punnetti Coe, 1904: 173–177, pl. XVI, figs 1–3, pl. XVIII, fig. 6 (California, USA); Coe, 1905: 158, fig. 31 (California, USA); Joubin, 1905: 311 (Mexico).

Baseodiscus punnetti: Coe, 1940: 262; Hiebert, 2016: 43 (California, USA).

Material sequenced: Two specimens (DNA vouchers ICHUM 6332, 6333); Santa Barbara, California, USA, collected by S. A. Maslakova and T. C. Hiebert in 2013.

Sequences: From ICHUM 6332: LC178601, 18S (1797 bp); LC178631, 28S (2120 bp); LC178679, 16S (505 bp); LC190953, COI (658 bp). From ICHUM 6333: LC178632, 28S (2057 bp); LC178680, 16S (504 bp); LC190954, COI (658 bp) .

Description: From a photograph of a specimen that is different from those sequenced but certainly represents the same species, the body is dorsoventrally dark red, posteriorly becoming pale brown (Fig. 3I). Hiebert (2016: 43–44) described, ‘Pale pink to magenta or red body colour, colour is more pale ventrally; head shape orbicular; conspicuous constriction between head and body marked with oblique cephalic furrows; secondary cephalic furrows present; longitudinal cephalic slits absent; pale colour present at head margins is narrow at anterior tip and widens just anterior to constriction between head and body; many ocelli (80–120, total) are present and visible within the pale region of the head; head can withdraw almost completely into body; body is large, fleshy and wrinkly; rounded anteriorly and slightly flattened posteriorly, in cross-section; caudal cirrus absent. Dark brown or black pigment was noted anteriorly and dorsally by Coe (1904), but this has not been observed by us.’

Distribution: From Monterey Bay, California to Mexico (Coe, 1904, 1905, 1940; Joubin, 1905; Roe et al., 2007; Hiebert, 2016).

R e m a rk s: O r i g i n a l l y d e s c r i b e d f r o m material dredged from 50 fathoms (91 m) depth between San Pedro and Santa Catalina Island, California, USA (Coe, 1904) .