Phyllophorus exigua (Cherbonnier, 1980)

Michonneau, François & Paulay, Gustav, 2014, Revision of the genus Phyrella (Holothuroidea: Dendrochirotida) with the description of a new species from Guam, Zootaxa 3760 (2), pp. 101-140 : 135

Phyllophorus exigua (Cherbonnier, 1980)

- Thyonidiella exigua Cherbonnier, 1980: 228–231 , fig 100 A–Q. Holotype: not MNHN 1499 , Madagascar, Tuléar

- Thyonidiella exigua: Rowe & Richmond, 2004: 3307

Remarks. This species is known only from the holotype, a small juvenile (<9 mm) specimen with 15 tentacles and a calcareous ring with short, unfragmented inter-radials. The structure of the calcareous ring thus suggests that it does not belong in Phyrella . Furthermore, the elongated plates in the body wall and the modified plates found in the podia illustrated by Cherbonnier do not coincide with the type of ossicles observed in Phyrella . Rowe & Richmond (2004) note that except for the number of tentacles (which could increase with age), it is close to Selenkiella paradoxa and could represent a juvenile of that species, also recorded from Tuléar. The holotype listed by Cherbonnier is MNHN HOL1499; however this catalog number corresponds to the type of Havelockia exigua Cherbonnier, 1958 from Sierra Leone. The holotype has not been located. Generic assignment of this species awaits additional material from the type locality; we provisionally assign it to Phyllophorus sensu lato for nomenclatural purposes.