Additions to the aspidochirotid, molpadid and apodid holothuroids (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) from the east coast of southern Africa, with descriptions of new species
Author
THANDAR, AHMED S.
text
Zootaxa
2007
2007-03-01
1414
1
1
62
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.1414.1.1
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.1414.1.1
11755334
5077005
DC93A9BC-D24E-44AD-99AF-79CACCCFB984
Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) albofusca
Cherbonnier, 1988
Figure 9
Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) albofusca
Cherbonnier, 1988:114
, text-fig. 46;
Samyn & Massin, 2003:2489
, text-figs.1 & 11A.
Type
MNHNP
, EcHh 2753
.
Type
locality
Nosy Bay
,
Madagascar
.
Previous southern African record
Bhanga Nek,
KZN
.
Material examined
UW
Ecological Survey
,
Inhaca Island
,
Mozambique
, NB96,
1 spec.
Distribution
South-west Indian Ocean, not yet reported from north of
Mozambique
.
Remarks
FIGURE 9.
Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) albofusca
Cherbonnier, 1988
. Inhaca, UW Ecological Survey, NB 93. A. Tables from dorsal body wall; B. buttons from dorsal body wall; C. tables from ventral body wall; D. buttons from ventral body wall; E. plate from tube foot; F. tentacle rods; G. part of calcareous ring. (A–E scale a; F. scale b)
The single specimen, 88 x
20 mm
, is yellowish in alcohol, cigar-shaped, with 20 whitish tentacles. The
holotype
, however, was described as chocolate-brown dorsally (
Cherbonnier 1988
) with 18 greyish tentacles.
Samyn & Massin (2003)
, who studied a single specimen from
KZN
, record both the dorsal and tentacle colour as brown. These differences are perhaps intraspecific as other characters correspond well. The podia are well differentiated into papillae dorsally and thick tubefeet ventrally. The stone canal is short, the madreporite spherical and, as reported by
Samyn & Massin (2003)
, there are two Polian vesicles, the dorsal one elongate and the ventral terminally sacciform. Cuvierian tubules are present. The dorsal buttons (
Figure 9B
) measure
31–77 µm
, the dorsal table discs (
Figure 9A
)
43–54 µm
; corresponding measurements of the ventral spicules (
Figure 9C, D
) are
55–69 µm
and
43–50 µm
. The papillae rods are
44–80 µm
long whereas those of the tubefeet
86–105 µm
, the latter have, in addition, some solitary plates in the tubefeet (
Figure 9E
). The tentacle rods,
33–114 µm
, are terminally spinulate.