Molpadiodemas pediculus, O'Loughlin & Ahearn, 2005

O'Loughlin, P. Mark & Ahearn, Cynthia, 2005, A review of pygal-furrowed Synallactidae (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea), with new species from the Antarctic, Atlantic and Pacific oceans, Memoirs of Museum Victoria 62 (2), pp. 147-179 : 162-163

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.24199/j.mmv.2005.62.5

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/116087F5-FFA7-FFF0-FCA9-7D21FF0D1D03

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Molpadiodemas pediculus
status

sp. nov.

Molpadiodemas pediculus View in CoL sp. nov.

Figures 5h–k View Figure 5 , 8g –h View Figure 8

Material examined. Holotype. South Atlantic Ocean , NE of South Sandwich Is, 55°07'S, 25°59'W, 5435–5453 m, RV Eltanin, Cr 8 stn 591, 29 Apr 1963, USNM 1008318 About USNM . GoogleMaps

Paratypes. Type locality and date, NMV F104796 About NMV (1).

Other material. Scotia Sea , N of South Orkney I., 2800 m, USNM E48635 About USNM (1).

Description. Up to 60 mm long; body small, rounded in section, elongate, tapered anteriorly and posteriorly, lacking brim; body wall firm, semi-gelatinous, surface smooth, not covered with attachments; tube feet all over body, overlapping ventrolaterally, distinctly cylindrical, frequently erect, close cover, anteriorly and pygally, typically 1.0 mm long, 0.25 mm diameter, up to 1.5 mm long; tube feet typically shorter, more thread-like, dorsally and ventrally than ventrolaterally; longitudinal muscles broadly attached, relatively narrow, slightly thickened; some unbranched gonad tubules; ossicles in tentacles only, predominantly irregular, thick, rough to smooth, sometimes bluntly spinous rods, swollen mid-rod, tapering at ends, rare branches joined to create thick intertwining mesh, sometimes irregularly tuberous, up to 280 Μm long.

Colour. Body, tube feet off-white to pale brown.

Etymology. From the Latin pediculus (little foot), referring to the prominent ventrolateral band of small tube feet.

Distribution. South Atlantic Ocean, off South Sandwich and South Orkney Is, 2800–5453 m.

Remarks. Amongst Molpadiodemas species, the distinguishing characters are: body tapering orally and anally; close cylindrical tube feet overlapping ventrolaterally; longitudinal muscles broadly attached, relatively narrow, slightly thickened.

NMV

Museum Victoria

USNM

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History

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