Benthodytes sanguinolenta Théel, 1882

Reports for the Azores:

Benthodytes sanguinolenta Théel, 1882 — $ Gebruk 2008: 51.

Type locality: off the coast of Chile, Pacific .

See: Hansen (1975: 94–96, pl. 3, figs. 1–4, pl. 4, figs. 1–4, pl. 5, figs. 1–4, pl. 6, figs. 1–4, pl. 9, figs. 6–7, pl. 12, figs. 4–5).

Occurrence: cosmopolitan, Atlantic and Indo-Pacific (Hansen 1975); reported in the Puerto Rico Trench, off the Bahamas (Miller & Pawson 1990) and in the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone to north of the Azores (Gebruk 2008).

Depth: 768– 7,250 m, mostly below 2,000 m (Hansen 1975); AZO: 2,954 –2,968 m (Gebruk 2008).

Habitat: facultative swimmer (Miller & Pawson 1990), on sandy clay to Globigerina ooze (Hansen 1975).

Remarks: Gebruk (2008) recently identified Benthodytes sanguinolenta among the material collected at the northern border of the Azorean EEZ (G.O. Sars, MAR–ECO cruise, sta 40/367: 42°55’N, 30°20’W, 2,954 –2,968 m). During the EMEPC (2009), ROV Luso has captured footage of a Benthodytes holothurian, likely to belong to B. sanguinolenta near the Hirondelle Seamount (sta L09D21: 37°56’11”N 26°10’32”W, 3,236 m; Fig. 33).