A revision of Antarctic and some Indo-Pacific apodid sea cucumbers (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Apodida)

Eight new apodid species from Antarctica are described: myriotrochids Achiridota smirnovi sp. nov., Myriotrochus nikiae sp. nov., Prototrochus linseae sp. nov., Prototrochus barnesi sp. nov., and chiridotids Kolostoneura griffithsi sp.nov., Scoliorhapis bipearli sp. nov., Scoliorhapis massini sp. nov., Taeniogyrus prydzi sp. nov. Genera Scoliorhapis H. L. Clark, Taeniogyrus Semper and Trochodota Ludwig are reviewed. Scoliodotella Oguro is a junior synonym of Scoliorhapis H. L. Clark. Trochodota Ludwig type species is fixed as Holothuria (Fistularia) purpurea Lesson. Trochodota Ludwig is a junior synonym of Taeniogyrus Semper. Sigmodota Studer type species is fixed as Chiridota contorta Ludwig, and Sigmodota Studer is raised out of synonymy with Taeniogyrus Semper. Species assigned to Sigmodota are Chiridota contorta Ludwig, Taeniogyrus dubius H. L. Clark (as Sigmodota dubia) and Taeniogyrus magnibaculus Massin and Hétérier (as Sigmodota magnibacula). Non-Antarctic new genus Rowedota gen. nov. is erected with type species Taeniogyrus allani Joshua, and other assigned species Trochodota epiphyka O’Loughlin, Trochodota mira Cherbonnier, Trochodota shepherdi Rowe and Trochodota vivipara Cherbonnier. Trochodota species not assigned to Rowedota gen.nov. and Sigmodota Studer are assigned to Taeniogyrus Semper. Other Antarctic apodid species discussed are Myriotrochus antarcticus Smirnov and Bardsley, Myriotrochus hesperides O’Loughlin and Manjón-Cabeza and Taeniogyrus antarcticus Heding. Non-Antarctic apodid species discussed are Chiridota pisanii Ludwig, Chiridota australiana Stimpson and Trochodota maculata H. L. Clark. The spelling of the species name Myriotrochus macquariensis Belyaev and Mironov is corrected. A table with Antarctic Apodida species and their distributions is provided. A table with specimen and ossicle sizes for some Taeniogyrinae species is provided. A key to genera of Taeniogyrinae is provided. Species names are standardized to: macquariensis; studeri; theeli

On the association between the crab <i>Hapalonotus reticulatus</i> (Crustacea, Brachyura, Eumedonidae) and the sea cucumber <i>Holothuria (Metriatyla) scabra</i> (Echinodermata, Holothuridae)

A study of the fauna associated with holothurians from Hansa Bay (Papua New Guinea) reveals a new symbiotic association between the holothuroid Holothuria (Metriatyla) scabra and the crab Hapalonotus reticulatus. All the collected holothurians were infested, but with only one crab per holothurian, always in the right respiratory tree near the cloaca. Because of its size, H. reticulatus considerably expands the wall of the respiratory tree forming a membranaceous cyst. This association, therefore, appears to be parasitic. However, the crab does not feed upon host tissue but seems to filter its food from water passing through the respiratory tree of its host. The description of two males allows to comment upon the taxonomical position of H. reticulatus. We classify H. reticulatus in the recently re-established family Eumedonidae. This is the first record of a species of Eumedonia living in association with a holothurian

The phyllophorid sea cucumbers of southern Australia (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Dendrochirotida: Phyllophoridae)

A new monotypic Phyllophoridae (Phyllophorinae) genus Phyllostauros, with author O’Loughlin, is erected for Thyone vercoi Joshua and Creed. We raise Phyllophorella Heding and Panning (subgenus of Phyllophorus Grube) to generic rank. The holotype and three paratypes of Phyllophorus ventripes Joshua and Creed are conspecific with Thyone vercoi Joshua and Creed. We make Phyllophorus ventripes Joshua and Creed a subjective junior synonym of Thyone vercoi Joshua and Creed. One paratype of Phyllophorus ventripes Joshua and Creed is conspecific with Phyllophorus thyonoides H. L. Clark. We reject the synonymy of Thyone okeni Bell with Thyone venusta Selenka. Twelve new species of Phyllophoridae are described for southern Australia, with author O’Loughlin: Lipotrapeza eichleri, Lipotrapeza litusi,Massinium melanieae, Massinium vimsi, Massinium watsonae, Phyllophorella notialis, Thyone flindersi, Thyone joshuai, Thyone kerkosa, Thyone spenceri, Thyone tourvillei, Thyonidiella kungi. Phyllophoridae species reported previously for southern Australia are reviewed: Lipotrapeza ventripes (Joshua and Creed); Lipotrapeza vestiens (Joshua); Neothyonidium dearmatum (Dendy and Hindle); Phyrella thyonoides (H. L. Clark); Thyone nigra Joshua and Creed; Thyone okeni Bell; Thyone vercoi Joshua and Creed. Species Phyrella thyonoides (H. L. Clark) is re-assigned to genus Phyllophorella Heding and Panning. A key is provided for the southern Australian species of Phyllophoridae. We acknowledge the rejection for nomenclatorial purposes by the ICZN (Opinion 417) of the publication by Oken 1815, and hence the current invalid statusof genus Thyone Oken. A petition has been sent to the ICZN for re-validation of Thyone Oken and we retain the use of Thyone Oken provisionally. The petition includes a similar request for re-validation of Psolus Oken

The paracaudinid sea cucumbers of Australia and New Zealand (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Molpadida: Caudinidae)

The four Paracaudina Heding species reported in Australia are reviewed: Paracaudina australis (Semper); Paracaudina chilensis (Müller); Paracaudina luticola Hickman; Paracaudina tetrapora (H. L. Clark). The New Zealand species Paracaudina coriacea (Hutton) is raised out of synonymy with the Chilean species Paracaudina chilensis (Müller). Both Paracaudina chilensis (Müller) and Paracaudina coriacea (Hutton) occur in New Zealand. The synonymy of the Chinese and Japanese species Paracaudina ransonnetii (Marenzeller) with Paracaudina chilensis (Müller) is maintained. Five new Caudinidae species are erected for Australia, with authors O’Loughlin and Barmos: Paracaudina ambigua, Paracaudina bacillis, Paracaudina cuprea, Paracaudina keablei, Paracaudina tripoda. A key is provided for Paracaudina species in Australia and New Zealand

Using sea cucumbers to illustrate the basics of zoological nomenclature

In addition to a brief account of the need to have unique and unambiguous scientific names for taxa, this paper, annotated with examples of sea cucumbers, explains the basics of zoological nomenclature. In doing so it aims to reduce the confusion that exists among various breeds of end-users of taxonomists who may not fully understand the seemingly arbitrary and often volatile nature of scientific names. This paper also aims to provide teachers and students with a comprehensible account of the basic principles of zoological nomenclature

The littoral sea cucumbers (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) of Guam re-assessed - a diversity curve that still does not asymptote

The Micronesian island of Guam has been an important site for the study of littoral tropical holothuriantaxonomy for almost 200 years. Despite substantial attention by both expeditions and resident taxonomists, new records arestill regularly added to the fauna, demonstrating the challenge of documenting even such large and well-known animals ina small hyper-diverse area. Guam is the type locality of species described by Quoy & Gaimard (1833) and Brandt (1835).A survey of the sea cucumber fauna by Rowe & Doty (1977) led to one of the most used guides for the identification oftropical Pacific sea cucumbers because of the color illustrations of living animals it presented. Focus on echinodermsincluding holothurians continued with numerous new records added in the following decades. Paulay (2003a) summarizedthe fauna last, recording 46-47 species. At this stage the fauna was thought to be well documented. A week-long workshopon holothurian systematics sponsored by the National Science Foundation PEET (Partnerships for Enhancing Expertise inTaxonomy) project in 2010 included a substantial field work component, sampling both during the day and night, withsnorkeling and SCUBA, across a variety of habitats. This survey yielded 40 species, including numerous new records andeven species. Further sampling by Kerr’s lab since the workshop has added additional records. The littoral holothuroidfauna of Guam now comprises 65 species in 17 genera and 7 families. Half of the 19 newly recorded species are the resultof unravelling cryptic species in complexes, the other half are based on new collections. Eleven species are known fromsingle specimens, suggesting that much still remains to be learned about the fauna

The littoral sea cucumbers (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) of Guam re-assessed – a diversity curve that still does not asymptote

The Micronesian island of Guam has been an important site for the study of littoral tropical holothurian taxonomy for almost 200 years. Despite substantial attention by both expeditions and resident taxonomists, new records are still regularly added to the fauna, demonstrating the challenge of documenting even such large and well-known animals in a small hyper-diverse area. Guam is the type locality of species described by Quoy & Gaimard (1833) and Brandt (1835). A survey of the sea cucumber fauna by Rowe & Doty (1977) led to one of the most used guides for the identification of tropical Pacific sea cucumbers because of the color illustrations of living animals it presented. Focus on echinoderms including holothurians continued with numerous new records added in the following decades. Paulay (2003a) summarized the fauna last, recording 46-47 species. At this stage the fauna was thought to be well documented. A week-long workshop on holothurian systematics sponsored by the National Science Foundation PEET (Partnerships for Enhancing Expertise in Taxonomy) project in 2010 included a substantial field work component, sampling both during the day and night, with snorkeling and SCUBA, across a variety of habitats. This survey yielded 40 species, including numerous new records and even species. Further sampling by Kerr’s lab since the workshop has added additional records. The littoral holothuroid fauna of Guam now comprises 65 species in 17 genera and 7 families. Half of the 19 newly recorded species are the result of unravelling cryptic species in complexes, the other half are based on new collections. Eleven species are known from single specimens, suggesting that much still remains to be learned about the fauna

Localization of Secondary Metabolites in Marine Invertebrates: Contribution of MALDI MSI for the Study of Saponins in Cuvierian Tubules of H. forskali

BACKGROUND: Several species of sea cucumbers of the family Holothuriidae possess a particular mechanical defense system called the Cuvierian tubules (Ct). It is also a chemical defense system as triterpene glycosides (saponins) appear to be particularly concentrated in Ct. In the present study, the precise localization of saponins in the Ct of Holothuria forskali is investigated. Classical histochemical labeling using lectin was firstly performed but did not generate any conclusive results. Thus, MALDI mass spectrometry Imaging (MALDI-MSI) was directly applied and completed by statistical multivariate tests. A comparison between the tubules of relaxed and stressed animals was realized. RESULTS: These analyses allowed the detection of three groups of ions, corresponding to the isomeric saponins of the tubules. Saponins detected at m/z 1287 and 1303 were the most abundant and were apparently localized in the connective tissue of the tubules of both relaxed and stressed individuals. Saponins at m/z 1125 and 1141 were detected in lower amount and were present in tissues of relaxed animals. Finally, saponin ions at 1433, 1449, 1463 and 1479 were observed in some Ct of stressed holothuroids in the outer part of the connective tissue. The saponin group m/z 14xx seems therefore to be stress-specific and could originate from modifications of the saponins with m/z of 11xx. CONCLUSIONS: All the results taken together indicate a complex chemical defense mechanism with, for a single organ, different sets of saponins originating from different cell populations and presenting different responses to stress. The present study also reflects that MALDI-MSI is a valuable tool for chemical ecology studies in which specific chemical signalling molecules like allelochemicals or pheromones have to be tracked. This report represents one of the very first studies using these tools to provide a functional and ecological understanding of the role of natural products from marine invertebrates

The littoral sea cucumber (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) fauna of Guam re-assessed – a diversity curve that still does not asymptote

The Micronesian island of Guam has been an important site for the study of tropical holothuroid taxonomy for almost 200 years. Despite such substantial attention by both expeditions and resident taxonomists, new records are being regularly added to the fauna demonstrating the challenge of documenting the biota of even a small hyper-diverse area. Guam is the type locality of species described by Quoy & Gaimard (1833) and Brandt (1835). A survey of the sea cucumber fauna by Rowe & Doty (1977) led to one of the most used guides for the identification of tropical Pacific sea cucumbers because of the color illustrations of living animals it presented. Focus on echinoderms including holothuroids continued with numerous new records added in the following decades. Paulay (2003) summarized the fauna last, recording 46 species, including 9 new records. At this stage the fauna was thought to be well documented. A week-long workshop on holothuroid systematics sponsered by the NSF PEET project in 2010 included a substantial field work component, sampling both during the day and night, with snorkeling and SCUBA, across a variety of habitats, yielding more than 40 species. 10 of these proved new records for Guam; two proved new to science. Further sampling by Kerr’s lab since the workshop has added two additional species. The holothuroid fauna of Guam thus now comprises 58 species that belong to 17 genera and 7 families. This contribution presents them as an illustrated and briefly annotated checklist