Ovalidota, Pawson, David L., 2004

Pawson, David L., 2004, Ovalidota milleri, a new genus and species of bathyal sea cucumber from the Caribbean Sea (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Apodida), Zootaxa 561, pp. 1-6 : 2

Ovalidota new genus

Diagnosis: Body more or less egg­shaped, less than twice as long as wide. Mouth ventral, placed approximately one quarter of the body length from the anterior extremity. Oral field broad, approximately one third of body length, surrounded by 18–19 extensile tentacles. Wheel ossicles gathered into papillae, papillae scattered in radii and interradii, more numerous dorsally than ventrally; individual wheels scattered among papillae.

Type Species: Ovalidota milleri new species

Etymology: The genus­name is masculine, derived from Latin ovalis, egg­shaped and doto, endowed. It is a pleasure to name this species for the Reverend John Miller, a longtime friend and colleague, who planned and directed our submersible operations in the Caribbean in 1983–1989.

Remarks: This genus may require referral to a separate family within the Order Apodida . A richer material will permit examination of internal anatomy. The extraordinary body shape alone tends to separate this new genus from all others in the Order. In the meantime, the possession of “typical” chiridotid wheel ossicles argues for inclusion of the genus in the Family Chiridotidae , Subfamily Chiridotinae, as defined by Smirnov (1998).