All things Meio with a specific focus on Chile

Entoprocta

The Entoprocta are a small group of invertebrates with 200 described species, of which only two fall within the meiofaunal size class, though there are a number of other as yet undescribed candidate species of meiofaunal size. The two meiofaunal Entoprocta species described so far are: Loxosoma isolata described from a single specimen found in the Adriatic on the coast of Croacia; and Loxosomella vancouverensis described from three specimens found in the waters off Vancouver Island, Canada.

Loxosomella sp. found in the Canal Tenglo (Station 4) Puerto Montt, Chile during January 2020.

During January 2020 I found 46 specimens of a Loxosomella sp. in the Canal Tenglo, Puerto Montt, southern Chile. The samples were taken in soft sediments at a depth of 15-20m. The specimen in the photo has a larva attached (left hand side) below the mouth.