Pseudostichopus langeae Thandar 2009
- Dataset
- On some sea cucumbers (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) from off the south and west coasts of South Africa collected by the South African Environmental and Observation Network (SAEON)
- Rank
- SPECIES
Classification
- kingdom
- Animalia
- phylum
- Echinodermata
- class
- Holothuroidea
- order
- Aspidochirotida
- family
- Synallactidae
- genus
- Pseudostichopus
- species
- Pseudostichopus langeae
description
Description. Body sub-cylindrical, slightly flattened ventrally, slightly arched dorsally, length up to 55 mm, width of mid-body up to 5 mm; encrusted predominantly with sand grains, but Foraminifera and shell debris also present. Skin with longitudinal ridges and depressions, mostly concentrated in extremities of ventro-lateral regions, encrustations more abundant in depressions. Mouth ventral, anus sub-ventral. Colour in live state white, off-white to grey in alcohol. Tube feet very reduced (0.5 – 1.5 mm), fine, in paired longitudinal rows dorso- and ventrolaterally, more common dorsally; mid-ventral and mid-dorsal regions naked, tube feet reach level of mouth and anus. Papillae and anal teeth absent. Both specimens with part of gut protruding through anus. Pygal furrow distinct. Tentacles 20, peltate, crown 1 mm in diameter. Calcareous ring fragile, radial and inter-radial plates notched posteriorly, radial plates larger and more deeply notched; inter-radial plates each with triangular anterior projection; radial plates undulating anteriorly. Gut filled with sediment. Stone canal and madreporite not detected. Polian vesicle single, 5 mm, saccular. Respiratory trees yellow, well-branched, left tree spans just over half the body length, right tree extends throughout length of body, attached to body wall, both trees originate from single stem posteriorly. Gonad large, single tuft, unbranched. Longitudinal muscles thick, paired, appear cylindrical. Ossicles only present in tentacles, tube feet, respiratory trees and gonad. Tentacles with straight or slightly curved rods (124 – 220 µm), usually with smooth margins or sometimes adorned with few spines, extremities may be branched, toothed, truncate, rarely perforate. Tube feet rods similar in form but smaller (98 – 152 µm) and with greater curvature due to their concentric arrangement within each podium. Respiratory trees with very small (74 – 92 µm), usually x-shaped rods formed from dichotomously branching arms which may sometimes branch more than twice, rods thickened centrally, usually before branching of arms. Arms taper into extremities forming sharp, pointed ends which may be adorned with one or two spinelets. Gonad with small y-shaped or straight rods, variable in size (32 – 84 µm), centrally thickened, arms tapering into extremities forming sharp, pointed ends; often as c- or s-shaped bodies, sometimes irregularly branched, also present. Pygal lobes without ossicles.
diagnosis
Diagnosis (see Thandar 2009)
discussion
Remarks. The most comprehensive revision of pygal-furrowed synallactids is by O’Loughlin and Ahearn (2005). In this revision, the authors described new species, presented new combinations and provided a wellconstructed key to the group (Thandar 2009). According to Thandar this species comes close to Pseudostichopus occultatus von Marenzeller, 1893 and P. peripatus (Sluiter, 1901).
distribution
Distribution. South and west coasts of South Africa, 186 – 368 m.
materials_examined
Material examined. A 31419, West Coast Survey 2011, just north of Lambert’s Bay, 31 ° 51.325 ' S, 16 ° 27.789 ' E, Demersal Trawl 060 - 4080, Cruise 270, 368 m, 29 / 01 / 2011, 2 specs.
Name
- Homonyms
- Pseudostichopus langeae Thandar 2009