Holothuria (Platyperona) parvula ( Selenka, 1867 )

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 : 135

Holothuria (Platyperona) parvula ( Selenka, 1867)

Mulleria parvula Selenka, 1867: 314 ; Semper, 1868: 77; Lampert, 1885: 76; Théel, 1886: 199; Sluiter, 1910: 333.

Holothuria captive Ludwig, 1875: 32 ; Lampert, 1885: 68; Théel, 1886: 220; Clark, 1919: 63 –64.

Actinopyga parvula .― Clark, 1919: 63; Deichmann, 1922: 199 –214, 1926: 20.

Holothuria parvula .― Deichmann, 1930: 70 –71.

Microthele parvula .― Cherbonnier, 1951: 12 –13; Deichmann, 1958: 288.

Microthele (Microthele) parvula .― Tommasi, 1969: 6.

Holothuria (Platyperona) parvula .― Rowe, 1969: 145; Oliveira et al., 2010: 12; Miranda et al., 2012: 141.

Material examined. No new material has been located here. The data below is based on the literature.

Type locality. Florida ( Deichmann 1930).

Diagnosis. See Deichmann (1930: 70–71).

Geographical distribution. United States (Florida), Bahamas, Aruba, Curaçao, Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil (Alagoas, Rio de Janeiro) ( Hendler et al. 1995, Tommasi 1969, Miranda et al. 2012). According to Hendler et al. (1995) this species occurs up to 4 m deep.

Comments. Two samples (UFAL/ECH 0 610 and UFAL/ECH 0487) are recorded from the reefs of Riacho Doce and Ponta Verde, State of Alagoas ( Miranda et al. 2012). According to Hendler et al. (1995), this species is frequently mistaken with H. (S.) surinamensis , due to their similar color, capacity of fission, geographical range and habitats. They differ, however, by the clearly distinct ossicles. Holothuria (Semperothuria) surinamensis does not have buttons and its tables have a reduced disc. Only two species of subgenus Platyperona are known for the Western Atlantic, H. (Platyperona) parvula and Holothuria (Platyperona) rowei Pawson & Gust, 1981 . According to Pawson & Gust (1981) the ossicles of both species are of equivalent size, but H. (P.) parvula has buttons with alternate and non-parallel holes, while H. (P.) rowei has thick borders and tables with tapering and a truncate spire. Cutress (1996) noted increases of the tables during somatic growth and described changes in the external morphology and in the shape of the ossicles during growth of the animals.