SMITH, SE; SWALLA, BJ: Identification of a New Enteropneust species, Saccoglossus barkleyii and related Enteropneust Worms in the Pacific Northwest

Hemichordate enteropneust worms are benthic, intertidal animals with three distinct body parts � An anterior proboscis, a neck region, and a posterior gut and gonad region. We are interested in using hemichordates to investigate theories of chordate evolution, but first needed a reliable hemichordate phylogeny. Therefore, we embarked on a hemichordate phylogeny project and found that molecular data is a reliable tool to distinguish different Saccoglossus species (Cameron et al., 2000; PNAS 97: 4469-4474). In addition, here we describe a simple and unique staining method to examine their characteristic gill bars and proboscis skeletons. In the process of collecting and identifying worms, it came to our attention that some of the enteropneusts in the Pacific Northwest are undescribed species. In this paper we document all of the data that we could find concerning the identification of Harimaniid worms in the Pacific Northwest, and we present both morphological and molecular data that Saccoglossus barkleyii is a new enteropneust species.