Holothuria (Vaneyothuria) integra Koehler & Vaney, 1908

THANDAR, AHMED S., 2007, Additions to the aspidochirotid, molpadid and apodid holothuroids (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) from the east coast of southern Africa, with descriptions of new species, Zootaxa 1414 (1), pp. 1-62 : 46-49

Holothuria (Vaneyothuria) integra Koehler & Vaney, 1908

Figures 21 & 22

Holothuria (Vaneyothuria) integra Koehler & Vaney, 1908: 19 , pl. 1, fig 7–10; Rowe, 1969: 152; Cherbonnier and Féral, 1981: 389, fig. 20 A–J; Rowe & Gates, 1995: 304.

Holothuria neozelanica Mortensen, 1925: 330 , fig. 23; Rowe, 1969:152 (synonymy).

Type Calcutta Museum , India .

Type locality Indian Ocean.

Previous southern African record None.

Material examined

SAM-A27945 , near Inhambane, Mozambique, 23°08' S, 35° 42' E, R.V. ‘ Algoa’, Mozambique SCAD Survey, St. C 00815-014-012-2144, 12.vi. 1994, 180 m., 1 spec ; SAM-A27946 , south of Inhambane, 24° 52' S, 35° 20' E, R.V. ‘ Algoa’, Mozambique SCAD Survey St. C, 00809-014-007-2164, 11.vi. 1994, 164 m., 1 spec.

Description

Specimens eviscerated, gut and gonad of larger specimen ( SAM-A 27945) preserved separately; smaller specimen ( SAM-A 27946) preserved with pearlfish. Both specimens elongate, sub-cylindrical, narrowing slightly at both ends. Larger specimen 230 mm along dorsal surface, 65 mm in breadth in mid-body; smaller specimen 165 x 30 mm. Colour of larger specimen an admixture of grey, dark and light browns, darker patches antero-dorsally and along ventral surface up to mid-body; smaller specimen dark yellowish-brown dorsally, paler ventrally; dark rings around dorsal podia and with rare whitish wart-like prominences. Mouth ventrally directed, no papillose collar; anus terminal, encircled by five radial clusters of podia similar to those of body wall. Tentacles 18 in larger specimen, 20 in smaller specimen, greyish-green to greyish-brown in colour. Podia minute, mostly retracted, scattered, papilliform dorsally. Body wall leathery, slightly rough to the touch, 2 mm thick.

Calcareous ring ( Figure 21K ) sculptured in the larger specimen but small in relation to body size; radial plates quadrangular with anterior median notch and paired depressions and a slightly concave posterior bor- der; interradial plates with triangular anterior projection and also slightly concave posterior border. Tentacle ampullae up to 30 mm long. Water ring unusual, situated far behind calcareous ring— 12 mm behind in larger specimen, 25 mm in smaller specimen ( Figure 21 I ). Polian vesicles numerous – larger specimen with three three elongate, up to 8 mm long, rest tiny, situated in circle around water ring; smaller specimen with 10, mostly sacciform vesicles situated all round ring. Stone canals in clusters—larger specimen with seven, short, slightly twisted stone canals, each ending in an elongated madreporic body (longest stone canal, including madreporic body, 3.5 mm); smaller specimen with 17 stone canals: six on left ( Figure 21I ) and 11 on right ( Figure 21J ), with at least three madreporic bodies on right arising directly from water ring and another terminating in two madreporic bodies, also a single madreporic body on right served by three stone canals. Respiratory trees well branched, left longer than right. Gonadal tubules mostly unbranched, except for a few branching dichotomously distally. Cuvierian tubules absent.

Body wall tables of larger specimen with spinose disc ( Figure 22B ), 55–74 µm (mean 65 µm), commonly with four central holes and a single series of peripheral ones, but disc often incomplete, lacking few peripheral holes; spire short to moderate, 36–48 µm, with single cross-bar, terminating in ring of about 12 unequal teeth, often arranged as a Maltese cross when viewed from above; smaller specimen with mostly smooth disc and more pronounced Maltese cross ( Figure 21C, D ). Buttons (45–71 µm, mean 58 µm) usually smooth, rarely with ill-defined knobs ( Figures 21A, B & 22A ), often quite regular but 3–7 pairs of holes. Podial deposits comprise rods (148–152 µm, mean 150 µm), usually considerably variable, expanded and perforated in the middle ( Figures 21E & 22D ) and at ends, less so at the extremities of the larger specimen ( Figure 22D ), and narrow, elongate plates (68–161 µm, mean 112 µm) with irregular margins and 2–3 series of holes ( Figures 21F,G & 22C ). Tentacles with curved, spinulated rods (19–526 µm, mean 192 µm), sometimes perforated at one end ( Figures 21H ; 22E ). Longitudinal muscles without deposits.

Distribution

East Indo-West Pacific Ocean, South-West Indian Ocean and New Zealand, 60–306 m ( Rowe & Gates 1995).

Habitat Continental shelf and slope. Remarks

This species is well described by Koehler & Vaney (1908) and more recently by Cherbonnier & Féral (1981) and its synonym H. neozelanica by Mortensen (1925). All these descriptions record the presence of Cuvierian tubules, a single Polian vesicle and multiple stone canals. The southern African specimens, which hardly differ from the others in both external and internal features and spicules, have in contrast, not only multiple stone canals but also multiple Polian vesicles and no Cuvierian tubules. These features may warrant a new species or at least a sub-specific distinction for the distantly removed southern African population. Hence, the material is here described in some detail. Koehler & Vaney’s material came from an unrecorded locality in the Indian Ocean (perhaps close to India) at about 186 m, that of Mortensen from New Zealand at about 100 m, and that of Cherbonnier & Féral from the Philippines at 217– 230 m. Distinctive features of this species, at least in southern Africa, are the numerous stone canals and Polian vesicles and the fact that the water ring is situated far behind the level of the calcareous ring.

Figures

FIGURE 21. Holothuria (Vaneyothuria) integra Koehler & Vaney, 1908. SAM–A27945. A. buttons from lateral body wall; B. buttons from ventral body wall; C. tables from lateral body wall; D. tables from ventral body wall; E. rods from lateral podia; F. plates from ventral podia; G. plates from lateral podia; H. rods from tentacles; I. Polian vesicles (PV), water vascular ring (WVR) and stone canals from left cluster; J. stone canals from right cluster; K. part of calcareous ring. (A–H. scale a; I–K scale b)

FIGURE 22. Holothuria (Vaneyothuria) integra Koehler & Vaney, 1908. SAM–A27946. A. buttons from ventral body wall; B. spinose-margined tables from ventral body wall; C. buttons/plates from ventral body wall; D. rods from ventral tube feet; E. rods from tentacles. (All drawn to same scale)