Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) hilla Lesson, 1830

THANDAR, AHMED S., 2007, Additions to the aspidochirotid, molpadid and apodid holothuroids (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) from the east coast of southern Africa, with descriptions of new species, Zootaxa 1414 (1), pp. 1-62 : 24-25

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.1414.1.1

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:DC93A9BC-D24E-44AD-99AF-79CACCCFB984

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/038E87BB-FF99-FF8C-D0A1-8F00C50ABFBC

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) hilla Lesson, 1830
status

 

Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) hilla Lesson, 1830

Figure 10 View FIGURE 10

Holothuria hilla Lesson, 1830: 226 , pl. 79.

Holothuria (Thymiosycia) hilla Massin, 1999: 55 (synonymy & records before 1999).

Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) hilla Samyn & Massin, 2003: 2500 , fig. 5 A–E, 11C, 12F (records after 1999).

Type MNHNP, EcHh 542 .

Type locality Borabora Island (Society Island) .

Previous southern African record Mozambique and east coast of South Africa.

Material examined

SAM-A27931 , Sodwana Reef, Rotenone , St. RW 76–15, scuba-gear, 25.vii. 1976, 17 m , 1 spec., SAM- A27932, Isipingo Beach , KwaZulu-Natal, 26 iv 1979, rock pool, K.S. Ganga & G.C. Naidu, 1 spec. (juvenile).

Description

Sodwana specimen ( SAM-A 27931) 45x 16 mm, strongly contracted, eviscerated and somewhat mutilated due to previous dissection. Colour, in alcohol, greyish with pale areas around podia. Mouth sub-ventral, collar absent; anus terminal, no special anal papillae. Podia scattered, better developed ventrally with some indication here of their arrangement in rows, few and reduced dorsally. Tentacle ampullae short (<0.5 mm). Polian vesicle single, elongate; stone canal straight, madreporite spherical. Cuvierian tubules present. Body wall table discs 46–65 µm (mean 54 µm) ( Figure 10A View FIGURE 10 ), smooth, squarish to roundish, with a single series (or only four) marginal holes; spire 33–42 µm high (mean 36 µm), with single cross-bar, terminating in ring of few short spines. Buttons ( Figure 10B View FIGURE 10 ) smooth, 50–75 µm (mean 61 µm), regular, with 3–5 pairs of large holes. Ventral podial deposits reduced tables, buttons 57–109 µm (mean 74 µm), large multilocular perforated plates ( Figure 10C View FIGURE 10 ), 98–154 µm x 32–109 µm, and end-plates; buttons often asymmetrical and/or reduced to a single series of holes. Table disc of dorsal podia 54–67 µm (mean 58 µm), spire 37–44 µm (mean 41 µm); buttons 61–100 µm (mean 83 µm) and button-like plates and rods ( Figure 10D View FIGURE 10 ) 33–135 µm (mean 91 µm), the latter usually perforate at ends. Tentacle rods slender, 28–144 µm (mean 63 µm), spinulated at ends ( Figure 10E View FIGURE 10 ). Longitudinal muscles with deposits resembling letters of alphabet in both script and print form.

Table discs of Isipingo specimen ( SAM-A 27932) 42–70 µm, with 8–10 marginal and sometimes a second series of much smaller holes outside these; buttons 50–105 µm.

Distribution Tropical-subtropical Indo-West Pacific Ocean, 0– 30 m.

Habitat Benthic, shallow, inshore.

Remarks

Despite the absence of a distinct ring around the anus, the Sodwana specimen is still referred to the widely distributed H. (M) hilla . It is, however, briefly described above as there are some significant differences. The Isipingo specimens, definitely referable to H. hilla , have smaller spicules than those given for the species by Rowe (1969), but their dimensions match those of Pearson’s (1910) Mozambique specimen and of Samyn & Massin’s (2003) Kenya material. The latter workers recently removed the species from Thymiosycia and transferred it to Mertensiothuria .

MNHNP

Museo Nacional de Historia Natural del Paraguay

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Echinodermata

Class

Holothuroidea

Order

Aspidochirotida

Family

Holothuriidae

Genus

Holothuria

Loc

Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) hilla Lesson, 1830

THANDAR, AHMED S. 2007
2007
Loc

Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) hilla

Samyn, Y. & Massin, C. 2003: 2500
2003
Loc

Holothuria (Thymiosycia) hilla

Massin, C. 1999: 55
1999
Loc

Holothuria hilla

Lesson, R. P. 1830: 226
1830
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