Massinium Samyn and Thandar, 2003

O’Loughlin, P. Mark, Barmos, Shari & VandenSpiegel, Didier, 2012, The phyllophorid sea cucumbers of southern Australia (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Dendrochirotida: Phyllophoridae), Memoirs of Museum Victoria 69, pp. 269-308 : 290

Massinium Samyn and Thandar, 2003

Massinium Samyn and Thandar, 2003: 136 .— Samyn et al., 2010: 2 .

Material examined. Massinium granulosum Samyn and Thandar, 2010 . Holotype and paratype. Queensland, Moreton Bay , Stradbroke I., intertidal seagrass, 14 Nov 1977, AM J13578 (2); Queensland, 32 km NNE of Double Island , AM J2093 (1).

Massinium magnum (Ludwig, 1882) . Queensland, Heron I., 10 m, sandy rubble, 21 Nov 1974, AM J9490 (1).

Diagnosis ( Samyn et al. 2010). Dendrochirotid holothuroids with 20 tentacles arranged in two circles of 10 + 10; anus usually encircled by calcareous teeth; calcareous ring elongate, tubular, with both radial and interradial plates fragmented into a mosaic of small pieces and prolonged posteriorly, with the posterior processes distally linked to processes of neighbouring plates forming a loop beneath the water vascular ring; polian vesicles elongate, usually 4; ossicles of mid-body wall comprise granuliform rods, and/or rosette-shaped deposits; tables present in juveniles or occasionally in adults as scarce reduced deposits.

Type species. Massinium maculosum Samyn and Thandar, 2003 (original designation).

Other species. Massinium albicans Samyn et al. 2010 ; M. arthroprocessum (Thandar, 1889) ; M. dissimilis ( Cherbonnier, 1988) ; M. granulosum Samyn et al., 2010 ; M. magnum (Ludwig, 1882) ; M. melanieae O’Loughlin sp. nov.; M. vimsi O’Loughlin sp. nov.; M. watsonae O’Loughlin sp. nov.

Remarks. We have not further emended the generic diagnosis in Samyn et al. 2010 but note the possibly polyphyletic nature of Massinium Samyn and Thandar, 2003 , with the variety of body wall ossicle forms in the assigned species that include tables with 2-pillar spires, pseudobuttons, and thick granuliform rods.