Pseudocnella insolens ( Théel, 1886 )

Thandar, Ahmed S., 2008, Additions to the holothuroid fauna of the southern African temperate faunistic provinces, with descriptions of new species, Zootaxa 1697 (1), pp. 1-57 : 22-23

Pseudocnella insolens ( Théel, 1886)

Figure 9

Cucumaria insolens Théel, 1886:760 , pl. 4, fig. 5.

Pseudocnella insolens Thandar, 1987:129 (syn. & records), figs.1d and 14f; 1991:129, figs. 1d & 14f.

Type: NHML.

Type locality Simon’s Bay , WCP, 18-36 m.

Material examined

Typical form

SAM-A27993, UCT Ecol. Survey, Saldanha Bay , St. SB 174, 33 o 2.8' S, 18 o 0.6' E, 15 m, 27.iv.1959, 3 spec. , SAM-A27994, St. SCD 197 , 34 o 7.5' S, 23 o 31.7' E, 79 m, dredge, 29.ix.1960, 1 spec. , SAM-A27995, RV ‘Africana’, Hake Biomass Survey, A14826.111.082.287, 34 o 08' S, 23 o 51' E, 94 m, bottom trawl, 3.v.1993, 17 spec.

Atypical form 1

SAM-A27996, UCT Ecol. Surv. St. SCD 195 , 34 o 7.5' S, 23 o 31.7' E, 29.xi. 1960, 79 m, 14 spec ; SAM- A27997 , St. SCD 226 , 34 o 21' S, 22 o 50' E, 29.xi. 1960, 79 m, 17 spec ; SAM-A27998, St. SCD 177, 34 o 7.5' S, 23 o 31.7' E, 30.xi. 1960, 110 m, 3 spec ; SAM-A27999, R.V. ‘ Africana’ South Coast Inshore Biomass and Horse Mackerel Survey, St. A 15259.116.075.2254, 34 o 21' S, 22 o 50' E, 18.ix. 1993, 89 m, 30 spec ; SAM- A28000, R.V. ‘ Africana’ South Coast Hake Biomass Survey, St. A. 14814.111.070.2254, 34 o 20' S, 23 o 31' E, 1.v. 1993, 94 m, 7 spec ; SAM-A28001, R.V. ‘ Africana’ South Coast Demersal Biomass Survey, St. A 18130.135.059.22851, 34 o 06' S, 23 o 49' E, 25.iv. 1996, 91 m, 3 spec.

Atypical form 2

SAM-A28002, R.V. ‘ Africana’ South Coast Biomass Survey, St A 18130.135.059.2285, 34 o 06' S, 23 o 49' E, 25.iv. 1996, 91 m, 10 spec ; SAM-A28003, R.V. ‘ Africana’ South Coast Biomass Survey, St. A 18141.135- 064.2295, 34 o 11' S, 24 o 32' E, 26.iv. 1996, 91 m, 14 spec ; SAM-A28004, SS ‘ Pieter Faure’, St. PF 1938, Cape St. Blaize, NW N 30 miles, 22.xii. 1899, 95 m, 7 spec ; SAM-A28005, probably off Cape Point, 1900, no further data, 38 spec.

Atypical form 3

SAM-A28006, R.V. ‘ Africana’ South Coast Biomass Survey, St.A 18130.135.059.2285, 34 06' S, 23 o 49' E, 34 06' S, 23 o 49' E, 25.iv. 1996, 91 m, 2 spec.

Distribution: Luderitz, Namibia to Port Elizabeth, ECP, 0- 110 m.

Remarks:

This well-known southern African temperate endemic, has been described several times (a.o. Théel 1886, Cherbonnier 1952, Thandar 1987). A brief history of its confused taxonomic status was presented by Thandar (1987) who also clarified the status of the other related southern African endemics, P. sykion and P. sinorbis , erecting the genus Pseudocnella to accommodate them and the Mediterranean P. syracusana . Thandar (1987, 1991) recorded its vertical distribution as 0- 40 m. The current SAM materials, previously studied by Natasen Moodley (2000), come from depths up to 110 m. This species is said to be a brood-protecting but brood pouches have this far only been detected and described by Cherbonnier (1952), in material taken from shallow waters of Simon’s Bay and False Bay ( WCP) and verified by Thandar (1987) in the Simon’s Bay material. Despite the study of numerous (438) specimens by Thandar (1987) from shallow waters, and by Natasen Moodley (2000) (192 specimens) from deeper waters, no further specimens with brood pouches were detected. This raises the question whether we are dealing with a polytypic species, like Thyonina articulata (see above). In fact, Natasen Moodley (2000), on the basis of variations in the large plates of the body wall and in the podial and tentacle deposits, recognizes four forms of the species, including the typical form. Her observations are summarized in Table 1 and illustrated in Figure 9 . However, before any steps are taken to separate the different forms, some information is needed on age and depth variations, habits/habitat preferences and aspects of ecology, biochemistry and molecular biology. Such studies are beyond the scope of this paper.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Pseudocnella insolens (Théel, 1886) (from Moodley, 2000). A-D. Typical form A. plate from ventral body wall; B. rods from ventral podia; C. rods from tentacles; D. plate from anal region. E. Atypical form.1. Plate from dorsal body wall. F-I. Atypical form 2. F. plate from dorsal body wall; G. rods from ventral podia; H. rods from tentacles; I. reduced plates from anal region. J-M. Atypical form 3. J. Scale from ventral body wall; K. rods from ventral podia; L. rods and plate from tentacles; M. plate from anal region. A scale a; B-D scale b; E scale c; F scale d; G-I scale e; J-M scale f.