Holothuria (Cystipus) pseudofossor Deichmann, 1930

Prata, Jéssica, Manso, Cynthia L. C. & Christoffersen, Martin L., 2014, Aspidochirotida (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) from the northeast coast of Brazil, Zootaxa 3889 (1), pp. 127-150 : 138-140

Holothuria (Cystipus) pseudofossor Deichmann, 1930

Figure 5 , Table 3

Stichopus rigidus Selenka, 1867: 317 .

Holothuria rigida Semper, 1868: 79 ; Thèel, 1886: 231.

Holothuria pleuripus Sluiter, 1910: 333 .

Holothuria hypamma Clark, H. L., 1921: 178 .

Holothuria fossor Deichmann, 1926: 18 –19.

Holothuria pseudofossor .― Deichmann, 1930: 57 –58; 1954: 394; Tommasi, 1974: 2; Laguarda-Figueras et al., 2001: 17 –18; González et al., 2002: 124 –125.

Holothuria (Cystipus) pseudofossor .― Rowe, 1969: 154 –157.

Material examined. 6°57’S; 34°38’W, PB, Brazil, 1 spec. ( UFPB.ECH-2070). Type locality. Montego Bay, Jamaica ( Deichmann 1930). Diagnosis. See Deichmann (1930: 57–58).

Description. 1 specimen analyzed, measuring 40 mm long and 10 mm wide. Body elongate, slightly curved. Tube feet covering the ventral side, with two rows in each radius. Dorsal side with two rows of small papillae in each radius. Tube feet more numerous ventrally ( Fig. 5 A). Body wall not very thick, with mouth and anus ventral. Tentacles retracted. Color in alcohol light pink, with white papillae. Calcareous ring simple, radial plate rectangular-shaped. Interradial low, triangular in shape ( Fig. 5 B). Single small polian vesicle balloon-shaped, a short stone canal with rounded madreporite. Longitudinal muscles not divided, with free margins. Respiratory trees slightly branched, about ¼ length of the body, color greenish. Body wall and tube feet with tables, about 60–70 µm long and 30–50 µm high, spires of 4 pillars, with about 8 terminal teeth ( Fig. 5 C–D). Disc with a large central hole and about 10 small marginal holes, margins undulated and often almost closed as a basket. Buttons smooth, about 80–150 µm long and 30–50 µm wide, with central axis slightly elevated and 2 parallel rows of 3 or more holes ( Fig. 5 E). Large perforated rods 150–240 µm long and 30–55 µm wide, with holes of irregular size ( Fig. 5 F). Simple rods in tentacles, 80–250 µm long and 10 µm wide. Elongate rods with 3–5 pairs of small holes. Ossicles of ventral region usually more developed, with higher tables, longer buttons, and perforated plates ( Tab. 3 ).

Geographical distribution. United States (Florida), Antilles ( Puerto Rico, Curaçao), Venezuela ( Hendler et al. 1995), and Brazil (Paraíba, Rio de Janeiro). Depth down to 187 m ( Tommasi 1974).

Comments. Holothuria (Cystipus) pseudofossor is usually mistaken for Holothuria (Cystipus) cubana Ludwig, 1875 , although the first species is more cylindrical, with larger tube feet on the ventral side, numerous papillae developed as tube feet on the dorsal side, and differs in the ossicles ( Hendler et al. 1995). Holothuria (Cystipus) cubana has tables with fewer perforations on the disc margin, and does not have large supporting plates. According to Deichmann (1930), Ludwig did not distinguish the two species in 1875 because he described the smooth supporting plates of the tube feet as buttons belonging to the body wall. Tommasi (1974) recorded the species for the 25°44'S – 45°09'9"W, near the coast of Rio de Janeiro, noting that the central rod was less prominent than in the original description, although the plates and other characters agreed with those of H. (C.) pseudofossor . The specimen described here seems to be a juvenile of H. (C.) pseudofossor , and agrees with the previous descriptions.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Holothuria (Cystipus) pseudofossor Deichmann. A, external view; B, calcareous ring; C – D, tables from body wall; E, buttons from body wall; F, perforated rods from body wall.

Tables

TABLE 3. Measurements of calcareous ossicles of Holothuria (Cystipus) pseudofossor Deichmann, from the northeast coast of Brazil. Size range of samples: 40 mm. SD, standard deviation; N, number of samples.

Buttons
	Length (µm)		Width (µm)
	Dorsal	Ventral	Dorsal	Ventral
Mean	101.35	108.9	38.18	38.5
SD	20.47	19.34	4.61	6.50
N	30	30	30	30
Tables
	Diameter (µm)		Height (µm)
	Dorsal	Ventral	Dorsal	Ventral
Mean	61.75	62.22	42.9	45.78
SD	4.21	5.41	7.37	6.89
N	30	30	30	30
Perforated rods
	Length (µm)		Width (µm)
	Dorsal	Ventral	Dorsal	Ventral
Mean	178.2	199.98	43.84	44.16
SD	22.00	19.53	5.77	7.38
N	30	30	30	30
Rods of tentacles
	Length (µm)		Width (µm)
Mean	166.88		9.9
SD	56.60		0
N	30		30