Neoamphicyclus altoffi, O’Loughlin, 2007

O’Loughlin, P. Mark, 2007, New cucumariid species from southern Australia (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Dendrochirotida: Cucumariidae), Memoirs of Museum Victoria 64, pp. 23-34 : 25-26

Neoamphicyclus altoffi sp. nov.

Figures 1c, 1d , 2c , 4b, 4c

Cucumella mutans Hickman, 1962: 55–56 , text figs 38–45, pl. 1 fig. 4 (non Cucumella mutans ( Joshua, 1914) .

Material examined. Holotype: Western Australia, Fremantle, Hall Bank, C. Bryce, L. Marsh, S. Slack-Smith, 25 Jan 1980, WAM Z279-92 .

Paratypes: Cockburn Sound , Woodman’s Point, Posidonia bed, 1 m, N. Sammy, 25 Aug 1971, WAM Z722-71 (2) ; B.R. Wilson, 11 Feb 1968, WAM Z721-71 (1) ; Cockburn Sound , south flats, A. Jones, 24 Nov 1966, WAM Z453-78 (1) ; Garden I., Careening Bay , Skippy Rock, 3–7 m, R. Slack-Smith, 6 Jan 1965, WAM Z729-71 (1).

Other material. Victoria, East Gippsland Scallop Survey , 38°12.3’S, 147°33’E, 26 m, 27 Feb 1971, NMV F76470 (1) ; Bass Strait Survey , VIMS 81-T-1, BSS stn 178, 38°43.4’S, 146°56.9’E, 26 m, 18 Nov 1981 , F76623 (1); BSS stn 188, 38°38.2’S, 142°35’E, 59 m, 20 Nov 1981, F76622 (1). Tasmania, Derwent Estuary, dredged off Sandy Bay , 9–12 m, 23 Sep 1955, TM H2139 (2) ; Waterhouse Passage , Blizzards Landing, 26 Feb 1991 , F132717 (2); Tamar R., Green’s Beach, 3 May 1986, F58459 (1). South Australia, Kangaroo I., Emu Bay , rocky shallows, algal epifauna, 17 Jan 1990 , F132699 (1); Investigator Group , Topgallant I., 25 m, 21 Apr 1985 , F132713 (1). Western Australia, Albany, Princess Royal Harbour , 4–13 m, 22 Jan 1988 , F132704 (1); 4 m, 22 Jan 1988, F132724 (1); Geographe Bay, Forrest Beach , seagrass bed, 1 Jan 1972, WAM Z201-73 (2) ; Dunsborough , under stones, 0.2 m, 31 Jan 1972, WAM Z209-73 (1) ; SW of Bunbury, FRV Lancelin , 20 m, 13 Apr 1963, WAM Z764-71 (2).

Description. Neoamphicyclus species up to 46 mm long with maximum diameter 10 mm (preserved; tentacles excluded); perioral thin conical pointed papillae, about 0.2 mm long; radial tube feet do not cross true introvert, a few sometimes encroach onto true introvert; gonad tubules branched.

Ossicles. Body wall, introvert, with abundant table ossicles only: table discs regular and irregular in form, frequently 80 μ m wide and regular with 3 large, 3 smaller perforations, 3 pillars; discs size range 40–88 μ m wide, perforations 3–12, spires typically with 3 pillars, infrequently 2–5, spires 32–40 μ m long; in small 6 and 13 mm-long specimens maximum table disc width was 56 μ m, indicating an increase in table disc size with increase in specimen size. Tube feet with endplates up to 320 μ m diameter; few elongate-perforated support plates, about 184 μ m long, frequently 2 large perforations centrally. Tentacle trunks above base with irregular rods only, 64–328 μ m long, small perforations distally, some short-branching, rare blunt spines. Tentacle trunk base with rosettes and tables, some intergrading: anastomosing rosettes, frequently closed peripherally, largest with central perforations with small tripod, rosettes up to 104 μ m long; tables irregular, up to 80 μ m long, 2–3 pillars, some with up to 15 small perforations. Oral disc and papillae with rosettes and thin rods, some intergrading: anastomosing rosettes, frequently closed peripherally, irregularly oval, up to 64 μ m long; rods thin, rare lateral branching, distally few to many small perforations, up to 224 μ m long. Posterior anal body wall with 5 rudimentary scales (anastomosing calcareous bodies), irregular form, up to 280 μ m long.

Colour (preserved). Body and tube feet dark blue-grey to dark grey-brown to brown to pale brown to off-white; introvert brown to off-white; tentacle dendritic branches dark brown, upper trunks pale grey/translucent, lacking white patches, inner base of tentacle trunks with transverse white band; oral disc dark brown, with white patches.

Distribution. Victoria (East Gippsland), Bass Strait, SE and N Tasmania, South Australia, SW Western Australia (Perth); 0– 59 m.

Etymology. Named for Leon Altoff (Marine Research Group of Victoria), in appreciation of his dedication to marine invertebrate studies on the coast of Victoria, and especially for his contribution to photography in this work.

Remarks.Mostofthespecimensreferredhereto Neoamphicyclus altoffi sp. nov. have been previously determined as Cucumella mutans ( Joshua, 1914) . Hickman (1962) reported Cucumella mutans from SE Tasmania (Derwent estuary; TM H2139). Two specimens were re-examined here and determined as N. altoffi sp. nov. Marsh and Pawson (1993) determined “with some doubt” as Cucumella mutans ( Joshua, 1914) a small specimen (7 mm long), lacking tentacles, from 30 m at Rottnest I. (SW Australia). The form of the body wall tables is illustrated, and closely resembles those of N. altoffi , as does the average disc diameter for a small specimen (49 μ m). But tables with curved discs from tube feet are illustrated, and these have not been found here in N. altoffi or C. mutans . N. altoffi has not been found in the shallows of the coast of Victoria. It has been found in the shallows from NE Tasmania to near Perth in Western Australia. N. altoffi is distinguished from the other 3 species of Neoamphicyclus in the key.

Figures

Figure 1. a, Apsolidium falconerae sp. nov., holotype, from Phillip I., NMV F109375, preserved, 34 mm long, lateral view showing thick calcareous dorsal and lateral body, thin-walled sole, mid-ventral radial tube feet; insert with radial (left) and interradial (right) plates of calcareous ring. b, Neoamphicyclus mutans (Joshua, 1914), live colour, collected by Mark O’Loughlin from Flinders ocean platforms on 13 February 2007, 60 mm long, lateral view, NMV F123862. c, Neoamphicyclus altoffi sp. nov., holotype, from Fremantle, WAM Z279-92, preserved, 33 mm long, dorso-lateral view; insert with radial (left) and interradial (right) plates of calcareous ring. d, Neoamphicyclus altoffi sp. nov., tentacles showing white calcareous band of ossicles at base, NMV F132704. e, Neoamphicyclus materiae sp. nov., holotype, from Flinders, NMV F132722, preserved, 35 mm long, ventral view; insert with radial (left) and interradial (right) plates of calcareous ring. f, Neocucumella turnerae sp. nov., holotype, from Derwent estuary, TM H3295, preserved, 46 mm long; insert with radial (left) and interradial (right) plates of calcareous ring.

Figure 2. Body wall mounts. a, Apsolidium falconerae sp. nov., holotype, NMV F109375, knobbed plates in ventral body wall. b, Neocucumella turnerae sp. nov., paratype, TM H3296, endplate in ventral body wall; absence of other ossicles. c, Neoamphicyclus altoffi sp. nov., holotype, WAM Z279-92, table discs in body wall; insert with lateral view of table showing spire, NMV F132704. d, Neoamphicyclus mutans (Joshua, 1914), NMV F109315, table discs in body wall; insert showing table spire. e, Neoamphicyclus materiae sp. nov., paratype NMV F76360, table discs in body wall; inserts with lateral view of tables showing spires, paratype, NMV F76364. f, Neoamphicyclus lividus Hickman, 1962, table discs in body wall, NMV F58698.

Figure 4. Tentacle ossicles. a, Apsolidium falconerae sp. nov., holotype, NMV F109375, perforated plates and rods. b, Neoamphicyclus altoffi sp. nov., rosettes from lower tentacle (base), NMV F132704. c, Neoamphicyclus altoffi sp. nov., rods from upper tentacle, NMV F132704. d, Neoamphicyclus materiae sp. nov., paratype, NMV F76364, rods. e, Neoamphicyclus mutans (Joshua,1914), NMV F109315, rosettes from upper tentacle. f, Neocucumella turnerae sp. nov., paratype, TM H3296; rosettes from disc and oral papillae (left); rods from tentacles (right).