Temparena chuni ( Ludwig & Heding, 1935 )

Thandar, Ahmed S., 2018, On some miscellaneous sea cucumbers (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) in the collections of the South African Museum with three new species, Zootaxa 4532 (1), pp. 57-85 : 71-73

Temparena chuni ( Ludwig & Heding, 1935)

( Figure 11 )

Cucumaria ? chuni Ludwig & Heding, 1935:192 , figs. 51, 52, pl.2, figs. 1–7.

Pentamera chuni Deichmann, 1948:350 ; Panning, 1949:460.

Temparena chuni Thandar, 1989: 296 –297 fig. 4.

Material examined. SAM: SM179 , North off Port Alfred, 33°30’ S, 27°22 E, heavy dredge, 80 m, 1 spec .

Diagnosis (see Thandar 1989).

Description. Specimen small, U-shaped, almost cucumber-like ( Figure 10A, B ). Colour off-white, anterior end broader than posterior end and slightly below level of anus. Length about 15 mm along ventrum, 3 mm wide in mid-body, height 4 mm. Tentacles retracted; anal teeth present. Tube feet restricted to ambulacra in double rows dorsally, decreasing to a single row in both directions; ventral tube feet also in double rows but better developed and more crowded, also decreasing in size and number in both directions. Gonad (testis) mature, comprising undivided tubules almost filling entire body cavity; mature female tubules not detected, hence hermaphroditism not confirmed. Other structures, including calcareous ring and ossicles ( Figure 10 C–J), correspond well with the species description by Ludwig & Heding (1935) and Thandar (1989).

Distribution. Off South coast of South Africa between Port Alfred and Cape point, 80– 365 m.

Remarks. This is the third record of this well characterised, adequately described species. However, the hermaphrodite nature of the gonad, as reported for the species by Ludwig and Heding (1935) and Thandar (1989) could not be ascertained, perhaps because of the lack of full maturity of the specimen at hand.

Figures

FIGURE 10.?Temparena trouspetita n.sp. SAMC-A090917. A. Dorsal surface of holotype; B. Ventral surface of paratype; C– F. Ossicles of holotype (C. Body wall tables; D. Body wall plates; E. Tentacle plates; F. Tube feet ossicles). (C–F same scale).

FIGURE 11. Temparena chuni (Ludwig & Heding, 1935). SAMC-A090918. A & B. Specimen (entire); C. Plates from dorsal body wall; D. Dorsal tube feet rods; E. Tables from dorsal surface; F. Plates from ventral body wall; G. Ventral tube feet rods; H. Tables from ventral surface; I. Ventral surface tube feet end-plate, J. Tentacle rods.