1982 a sensu lato
Actinarctus physophorus sp. n. (Grimaldi de Zio et al. 1982 a)
A. physophorus, Grimaldi de Zio et alii 1982 (Grimaldi de Zio et al. 1983 b) Actinarctus physophorus Grimaldi de Zio et al., 1982 (D’Addabbo Gallo et al. 1987, Grimaldi de Zio & D’Addabbo Gallo 1987, Villora-Moreno & Grimaldi de Zio 1996, D’Addabbo Gallo et al. 2007) Actinarctus cf. physophorus Grimaldi de Zio, 1982 (Kristensen & Neuhaus 1999) Actinarctus cf. physophorus Grimaldi de Zio, 1984 (Hansen et al. 2001) Terra typica: Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy, Europe)
Atlantic Ocean:
• 61 ° 17 ′ 42 ′′N, 08° 32 ′ 18 ′′W; 104–260 m bsl: [FAO 27] Faroe Islands, Faroe Bank, shell gravel, coarse shell gravel, fine carbonate sand, carbonate sand, or fine shell sand. Hansen et al. (2001)
• 61 °05.61′N, 08° 35.57 ′W / 61 °06′N, 08° 36 ′W; 103.3 m bsl: [FAO 27] Faroe Islands, Faroe Bank, BIOFAR station 787. Kristensen & Neuhaus (1999)
Alboran Sea:
• 35 ° 11 ′N, 02° 26 ′W; 0 m bsl: [FAO 37] Morocco, Chafarinas Islands, Congreso Island [Isla del Congres], sublittoral mixed environment, Amphioxus gravel (2 sites). Villora-Moreno & Grimaldi de Zio (1996)
• Balearic Sea:
• 40 ° 20 ′N, 08° 22 ′E; 20 m bsl: [FAO 37] Italy, Sardinia, Sassari or Oristano Province, Gulf of Alghero, medium sand. D’Addabbo Gallo et al. (2007)
Ionian Sea:
• 39 ° 52 ′00′′N, 16 ° 42 ′ 30 ′′E; 20–200 m bsl: [FAO 37] Italy, Cosenza Province, High Ionian Sea offshore, Calabrian Coast, Amendolara Shoal, coralligenous sand, coralligenous sand mixed with debris, coarse medium or fine coralligenous sand (few samples). D’Addabbo Gallo et al. (1987), Grimaldi de Zio & D’Addabbo Gallo (1987), Grimaldi de Zio et al. (2003)
Tyrrhenian Sea:
• 40 ° 35 ′ 10 ′′N, 14 ° 19 ′ 38 ′′E; 12 m bsl: [FAO 37] Type Locality: Italy, Province of Naples, Sorrento Peninsula, Massa Lubrense, Cala di Mitigliano, cave (Grotta di Mitigliano), subtidal, organic detritus and 33 % gravel. Grimaldi de Zio et al. (1982 a, 1983 b)
Record numbers (Sea/Ocean classification): Atlantic Ocean: 2, Alboran Sea: 1, Balearic Sea: 1, Ionian Sea: 1, Tyrrhenian Sea: 1; total: 6.
Record numbers (FAO classification): FAO 27: 2, FAO 37: 4; total: 6.
Remarks: This intertidal-subtidal species is known mainly from the Mediterranean region although it has also been reported from the deep subtidal zone in the Atlantic Ocean. However, the deep water specimens of both Kristensen & Neuhaus (1999) and Hansen et al. (2001) were reported as A. cf. physophorus, with the suggestion that these specimens from the Faroe Bank (Atlantic Ocean) could belong to a new species. This is an interstitial species found mainly in sand or gravel.