Psolus fabricii ( Düben & Koren, 1846 ), Duben & Koren, 1846

Pawson, David L., Pawson, Doris J. & King, Rachael A., 2010, A taxonomic guide to the Echinodermata of the South Atlantic Bight, USA: 1. Sea cucumbers (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea), Zootaxa 2449, pp. 1-48 : 31-32

Psolus fabricii ( Düben & Koren, 1846)

Figure 24

Cuvieria fabricii Düben & Koren 1846: 316 .

Psolus fabricii .— Deichmann, 1930: 191; Pawson, 1977: 12, fig. 14; Miller & Turner, 1986: 484.

Material examined. DML 677, Off Cape Lookout, NC, 34º12'N, 76º11'W, September 14, 1962, 73 m.

Diagnosis. Length up to 19cm. Color presumably whitish to yellowish. Sole thick and leathery. Scales in young covered with pearl-like granules; in adults granules fuse with scales to form irregular ridges. 8–10 scales between mouth and anus. Five to 6 blunt triangular oral scales, not forming distinct oral valves; inside these, 5 narrow tooth-like scales; around anus, 5 anal teeth, and outside these 1–2 circles of scales, 5–6 in each circle. Ossicles numerous complicated cups or ellipses (60–200µm).

Distribution. Norway to New England, NC.

Habitat. Usually attached to hard substrates. 0–1800 m.

Remarks. Mortensen (1932) notes that some Arctic specimens of this species were overgrown with hydroids.

Figures

FIGURE 24. Psolus fabricii (Düben & Koren, 1846). A, whole animal; B, C, D, cups and ellipses.