identifier	taxonID	type	CVterm	format	language	title	description	additionalInformationURL	UsageTerms	rights	Owner	contributor	creator	bibliographicCitation
038E87D7FF9CFFA8FF76E15FFE43FF01.text	038E87D7FF9CFFA8FF76E15FFE43FF01.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Holothuria (Vaneyothuria) serishae Thandar 2025	<div><p>Holothuria (Vaneyothuria) serishae sp. nov.</p><p>Figure 1</p><p>Holothuria (Vaneyothuria) integra Thandar, 2007: 46, text-figs. 21 &amp; 22; Thandar, 2022: 238, fig. 126.</p><p>Diagnosis. A medium-sized to large species of Holothuria (Vaneyothuria), up to 230 mm along dorsal surface; preserved colouration an add-mixture of grey and browns or white with dark patches anteriorly, paler ventrally, dark rings around dorsal podia. Podia generally scattered, minute, more abundant in the ventro-lateral radii than elsewhere; dorsal podia papilliform, borne on whitish wart-like prominences. Mouth ventral, ‘collar’ absent. Anus terminal, encircled by radial clusters of podia similar to those of body wall. Anal teeth absent. Tentacles 18–20, greyish-green to greyish-brown. Body wall leathery, slightly rough to the touch, only 2 mm thick. Calcareous ring sculptured, small in relation to body size. Water-vascular ring situated far behind the calcareous ring (12 mm in holotype, 25 mm in paratype 3). Polian vesicles numerous, of various sizes (largest about 8 mm long) but of regular form, sometimes very tiny and positioned all around the water ring; stone canals also multiplied, situated in clusters around the water ring or attached directly to water ring without a canal (at least in paratype 2), sometimes a single madreporite supplied by three stone canals. Cuvierian tubules absent. Body wall tables with spinose disc (55–74 µm), perforated by four large central holes and a varying number of peripheral ones in a single series, disc often reduced; spire low to moderate (36–48 µm), of four pillars terminating in a perforated crown bearing numerous teeth (about 12), often arranged as a ‘Maltese’ cross at the distal end of spire. Buttons (45–71 µm) usually smooth, oval, quite regular, with 3–7 pairs of holes. Dorsal and ventral podial deposits as rods (148–152 µm), expanded and perforated in the middle and at ends, plus narrow, elongate plates (68–161 µm), with irregular margins and 2–3 series of holes. Tentacles with curved, spinulated rods (19–526 µm). No ossicles detected in longitudinal muscles.</p><p>Etymology. The new species is named after my intern, Serisha Gangaram, in appreciation of her tireless assistance during the preparation of my intensive taxonomic monograph of the southern African sea cucumbers (see Thandar 2022).</p><p>Material examined. The larger of the two specimens described in 2007 is chosen as the holotype. and the other is here designated Paratype 2. A third specimen, later received from the SAM, judging from the data on the label, is part of the same collection and here briefly described as Paratype 1.</p><p>Holotype: SAM-A27945, off Inhambane, Mozambique, 23° 08’ S, 35° 42’ E, R. V. ‘ Algoa’, Mozambique, SCAD survey St. C 00815-014-012- 2144, 12.vi. 1994, 180 m.</p><p>Paratype 1: SAM-A27945, same data as holotype</p><p>Paratype 2: SAM-A27946, south of Inhambane, 24° 52’ S, 35° 20’ E, R. V. ‘ <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=35.333332&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-24.866667" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 35.333332/lat -24.866667)">Algoa’</a>, Mozambique</p><p>SCAD Survey St. C, 00809-014-007- 2164, 11.vi. 1994, 164 m.</p><p>Descriptions of Paratypes. Paratype 1: SAM-A27945: Length about 200 mm; width of mid-body about 40 mm. Specimen to large extent macerated, perhaps due to previous dissection or evisceration - gut, gonad and one respiratory tree lying free in preservative. Colour, in preservative, uniformly whitish grey, slightly darker anteriorly, but with no distinct markings, blotches or bands. Dorsal tube feet papillose, borne on minute knobs/tubercles. Ventral surface smooth, almost naked, mostly without podia - apparently an abnormality or due to poor relaxation before preservation. Calcareous ring in normal position, water ring not particularly situated far behind calcareous ring. Multiplicity of Polian vesicles discernable but clarity obscure. Stone canals not observed. Cuvierian tubules absent.</p><p>Paratype 2: SAM-A27946: Length 165 mm, width in mid-body 30 mm, dark yellowish-brown dorsally, paler ventrally, papillae on wart-like prominences; tentacles 20, greyish-green to greyish-brown in colour; calcareous ring not particularly sculptured, water ring situated 25 mm behind calcareous ring, Polian vesicles mostly sacciform, situated all round ring; stone canals 17, six on left and 11 on right; with at least three madreporic bodies on right side arising directly from water ring and another terminating in two madreporic bodies, a single madreporic body on right side served by three stone canals; tables with mostly smooth disc and a more pronounced ‘Maltese’ cross; podial rods more perforated at the extremities than those of the holotype. Specimen preserved with pearlfish contained in a separate vial.</p><p>Type locality. <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=35.7&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-23.133333" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 35.7/lat -23.133333)">Off</a> Inhambane, Mozambique, 23° 08’ S, 35° 42’ E .</p><p>Distribution. Southern Mozambique, continental slope, 164– 180 m.</p><p>Remarks. Holothuria (Vaneyothuria) integra is well described by Koehler &amp; Vaney (1908) and more recently by Cherbonnier &amp; Féral (1981), and its synonym H. neozelanica by Mortensen (1925). All these descriptions record the presence of Cuvierian tubules, a single Polian vesicle and multiple stone canals. The southern African specimens, which hardly differ from Holothuria integra in both external features and ossicles, have in contrast, not only multiple stone canals but also multiple Polian vesicles, no Cuvierian tubules, and a distantly displaced water ring. These features in combination warrant the description of a new species. It may be argued that the distantly removed southern African population perhaps deserve a subspecies status but, judging from the number of morphological variations, especially the absence of Cuvierian tubules and multiplicity of Polian vesicles, a new species is here justified. A similar case exists in the tropical Indo-Pacific sympatrics H. (Halodeima) atra Jaeger, 1833 and H. (H.) pulla Selenka, 1867, separated by the presence of Cuvierian tubules in the latter and their absence in the former. It is here noted with interest that Cherbonnier &amp; Feral (1981) also described a distantly displaced water ring, 30 mm behind the calcareous ring.</p><p>The new species also comes quite close to H. (V.) uncia Rowe, 1989, which is described as having tube feet in three bands ventrally and scattered dorsally; table discs as smooth, squarish to roundish, spire with one or two cross-bars and some buttons bearing knobs. It’s a pity Rowe (1989) does not mention the number of Polian vesicles and stone canals nor the absence or presence of Cuvierian tubules. But judging from the form of the table disc and spire it appears to be a distinct species. From amongst its consubgenerics, the new species comes quite close to the north-east Atlantic H. (V.) suspecta Cherbonnier, 1958, which also has multiple stone canals but a very distinctly spinose rim to the tables, heavily dentate crowns and tentacle deposits often perforated by a few terminal holes. H. (V.) sinefibula Cherbonnier, 1963, also from the north-east Atlantic, is poorly described and not illustrated. It also appears to come quite close to the new species but Rowe (1969) is of the opinion that it may be a juvenile of H. suspecta . The distinctive features of the new species are the absence of Cuvierian tubules, the presence of multiple Polian vesicles, the fact that the water ring is situated far behind the level of the calcareous ring and distinctly serrate tables with a 12-toothed crown.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/038E87D7FF9CFFA8FF76E15FFE43FF01	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Thandar, Ahmed S.	Thandar, Ahmed S. (2025): A new species of sea cucumber, Holothuria (Vaneyothuria) serishae sp. nov., from southern Mozambique and two new southern African records (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Holothuriida: Holothuriidae). Zootaxa 5647 (1): 69-76, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5647.1.4, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5647.1.4
038E87D7FF9EFFAFFF76E0DBFD29FE71.text	038E87D7FF9EFFAFFF76E0DBFD29FE71.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Holothuria (Stauropora) hawaiiensis Fisher 1907	<div><p>Holothuria (Stauropora) cf. hawaiiensis Fisher, 1907</p><p>Figure 2</p><p>Holothuria hawaiiensis Fisher, 1907; 668, pl. 68, fig. 4 a–g.</p><p>Holothuria (Holothuria) hawaiiensis; Panning, 1935: 92, fig. 78a–n.</p><p>Holothuria (Stauropora) hawaiiensis; Rowe, 1969: 14 (passim); Cherbonnier, 1988: 77, fig.30 A–N.</p><p>Holothuria (Lessonothuria) hawaiiensis; Massin, 1996: 158, figs 7A–H, 8A–H; Massin, 1999: 22, figs. 15-A–J, 16, 17, 110e; Samyn, 2003: 39, 45; Samyn &amp; Tallon, 2005: supplementary material; Samyn et al., 2006: 68–69, fig. 59.</p><p>Description. Specimen small, length about 55 mm, breadth in mid-body about 7 mm; tentacles 20. Colour in alcohol, yellowish white. Podia scattered, ventral podia with small sucking discs; dorsal ones better developed, arising from tiny wart like prominences. Calcareous ring with high radial plates and much smaller interradial plates. Tables of body wall of two types: with circular disc and tall spires provided with a single cross bar; or with two or more cross-bars; bottom of disc often with large circular or cruciform hole; spire tall, ending in numerous, fairly well-developed teeth. Buttons smooth, never rugose, quite irregular with three or more series of holes, but not forming plates; sometimes regular, sometimes slightly twisted. Tube feet ossicles in the form of curved rods, perforated at ends.</p><p>Material examined. Park Rynie, southern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, 1 spec.</p><p>Remarks. It is with some hesitation that this unique example is determined as H. hawaiiensis . It differs in the lower number of tentacles than the holotype and other reasonably well described materials by Massin (1996 &amp; 1999) and Samyn et al (2006). However, Cherbonnier (1988) also reported 20 tentacles in his material from Madagascar. The specimen in hand also varies slightly in colouration from the type - perhaps the original colour is lost due to long preservation. Tables with a bottom cruciform hole were not often detected but those with a large central hole were quite common. The cross-bridges of the spire varied from 1 to 4. The buttons and tables strongly resemble those illustrated for the species by Fisher (1907) and Cherbonnier (1988). Rowe (1969) comments that cruciform holes are only present at bottom of the shorter tables and round holes at the bottom of the taller tables. Samyn (pers. comm.) is of the opinion that podial deposits of this species may suggest that it belongs to the subgenus Lessonothuria . In fact, Massin (1996 &amp; 1999) also classifies his materials in Lessonothuria but the elaborate podial deposits he illustrates are absent in the southern African form as well as Cherbonier’s (1988) Madagascar material. Hence the species is left to stand in Stauropora . It is possible that both the South African and Madagascar materials belong to another as yet undescribed species.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/038E87D7FF9EFFAFFF76E0DBFD29FE71	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Thandar, Ahmed S.	Thandar, Ahmed S. (2025): A new species of sea cucumber, Holothuria (Vaneyothuria) serishae sp. nov., from southern Mozambique and two new southern African records (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Holothuriida: Holothuriidae). Zootaxa 5647 (1): 69-76, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5647.1.4, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5647.1.4
038E87D7FF99FFAFFF76E186FD6BF84B.text	038E87D7FF99FFAFFF76E186FD6BF84B.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Holothuria (Stichothuria) coronopertusa Cherbonnier & Feral 1981	<div><p>Holothuria (Stichothuria) coronopertusa Chebonnier, 1981</p><p>Cherbonnier, 1980: 639, fig. 13 A–R, pl.1 B.</p><p>Type locality: New Caledonia</p><p>Material examined: None</p><p>Remarks. This species, first recorded from New Caledonia by Cherbonnier (1980), now needs to be added to the southern African holothuroid fauna as a result of its collection from Sodwana Bay, South Africa, by Dr Y. Samyn and his team. This discovery was presented as a poster by Samyn et al. at the 14 th IEC in Brussels in 2012 but has not yet been formally described. Since it was overlooked by Thandar (2022) in his analysis of the southern African holothuroid biodiversity it is here included to update the number of species now known from southern Africa. Samyn (pers. com) states that its description is in progress and the species, based also on molecular evidence, is perhaps referable to the subgenus Mertensiothuria .</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/038E87D7FF99FFAFFF76E186FD6BF84B	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Thandar, Ahmed S.	Thandar, Ahmed S. (2025): A new species of sea cucumber, Holothuria (Vaneyothuria) serishae sp. nov., from southern Mozambique and two new southern African records (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Holothuriida: Holothuriidae). Zootaxa 5647 (1): 69-76, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5647.1.4, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5647.1.4
038E87D7FF98FFAEFF76E4B7FA8BFB74.text	038E87D7FF98FFAEFF76E4B7FA8BFB74.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Actinopyga obesa (Selenka 1867)	<div><p>Actinopyga obesa (Selenka, 1867)</p><p>Figure 3</p><p>Mülleria obesa Selenka, 1867:312 .</p><p>Actinopyga obesa Fisher, 1907: 647, pl 67, fig. 8; Cherbonnier, 1988: 20, fig.3; Rowe &amp; Gates, 1995:287. Thandar &amp; Samyn, 2004: 255; Samyn &amp; Tallon, 2005 (supplementary material).</p><p>Holothuria (Actinopyga) obesa Panning, 1929: 129, fig.13.</p><p>Diagnosis (summarised from Selenka, 1867; Fisher, 1907; Cherbonnier, 1988)</p><p>Robust, chocolate brown species, often exceeding 200 mm in length. Tentacles 20, broadly peltate. Tube feet crowded, more numerous ventrally. Anal teeth white, strong. Cuvierian tubules present, minute. Dorsal and ventral body wall ossicles similar, exclusively slightly curved, sometimes X-shaped rods, but no rosette-like bodies; rods finely spinulated/granulated, sometimes branched and perforated terminally; up to 120 µm long but usually around 80 µ.</p><p>Material examined. Bassas Island (French protect.), about 350 km east coast of Mozambique, collected by the Oceanogaphic Research Institute, Durban, 06 July 1991 ; Sodwana Bay, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, collected by Samyn et al, January 2006 .</p><p>Habitat. Coral, up to 20 m.</p><p>Distribution. Tropical Indo-West Pacific, up to 20 m.</p><p>Remarks. This is the second record of this characteristic Indo-West Pacific species from the western part of the Indian Ocean. It satisfies the diagnosis of the species given above. The species is well characterized by its spinulated or finely granulated, slightly curved rods which may or may not be terminally perforated but sometimes Y-shaped. The illustration below (Figure 3) is based on the specimen from Bassas Island, just south of the tropic of Capricorn, off the east coast of southern Mozambique. More recent material originates from Sodwana Bay, on the east coast of South Africa, collected by Dr Yves Samyn and his team on their South African expedition. This specimen measures about 235 mm in length and about 30 mm in width in mid-body. Its colouration is also a very dark chocolate brown, almost similar to that of the Bassas specimen. The body wall ossicles are identical to the Bassas material.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/038E87D7FF98FFAEFF76E4B7FA8BFB74	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Thandar, Ahmed S.	Thandar, Ahmed S. (2025): A new species of sea cucumber, Holothuria (Vaneyothuria) serishae sp. nov., from southern Mozambique and two new southern African records (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Holothuriida: Holothuriidae). Zootaxa 5647 (1): 69-76, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5647.1.4, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5647.1.4
038E87D7FF9BFFADFF76E4FFFB35FC68.text	038E87D7FF9BFFADFF76E4FFFB35FC68.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Actinopyga crassa Panning 1944	<div><p>Actinopyga crassa Panning, 1944</p><p>Figure 4</p><p>Actinopyga echinites crassa Panning, 1944: 51, text-fig. 19; Rowe &amp; Gates, 1995: 286 (cited as a synonym of A. echinites (Jaeger, 1833) .</p><p>Actinopyga crassa Rowe, 1969: 131 (passim); Clark &amp; Rowe, 1971: 176 (dist.); Cherbonnier, 1988: 24, fig. 6A–Q; Samyn &amp; Tallon, 2005 (distribution).</p><p>Diagnosis (after Panning 1944). A medium-sized species of Actinopyga up to 145 mm long. Colour yellow to greyish brown, darker in the middle. Tube feet in three distinct bands ventrally, a few also in the interambulacra; papillae scattered dorsally. Dorsal body wall with minute, elongate, branched, rosette-like, X-shaped, dichotomously branched rods (up to 46 µm long); ventral body wall with rosette-like rods (up to 62 µm long), aggregated into heaps, amongst thick, curved, elongate rods (up to 95 µm long), branched only at ends.</p><p>Material examined. Park Rynie, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, intertidal, rocky shore, 1 spec.</p><p>General distribution. Red Sea, Querimba Archipelago (northern Mozambique), KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa); Madagascar, New Guinea, New Caledonia,</p><p>Remarks. The first record of this species from southern Africa is that of Panning (1944) but from Querimba Archipelago, off northern Mozambique. The specimen here illustrated originates from Park Rynie in southern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and is thus the first record of the species from south of the tropic of Capricorn. Its dorsal ossicles, according to Panning (1944), are similar to those of A. echinites . However, it differs from the latter species and others in the genus by its characteristically curved ventral rods with complicated terminal ramifications and the absence of any spiny rosettes of the type found in A. echinites (see Thandar 2022).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/038E87D7FF9BFFADFF76E4FFFB35FC68	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Thandar, Ahmed S.	Thandar, Ahmed S. (2025): A new species of sea cucumber, Holothuria (Vaneyothuria) serishae sp. nov., from southern Mozambique and two new southern African records (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Holothuriida: Holothuriidae). Zootaxa 5647 (1): 69-76, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5647.1.4, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5647.1.4
