Phyllophorella notialis O’Loughlin, 2012

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 : 280

Phyllophorella notialis O’Loughlin sp. nov.

Figures 1e, f , 7

Material examined. Holotype. SE Australia, New South Wales, Disaster Bay, RV Southern Surveyor SS 0404 stn 102, 37°17.22'S 150°4.15'E, 79 m, 28 April 2004, NMV F132691 .

Description. Body 20 mm long, diameter up to 7 mm (preserved, tentacles slightly extended, part of posterior body missing); 20 tentacles in 2 series, 15 outer variable sizes from large to medium, 5 inner very small; complete cover of tube feet, diameter about 0.3 mm; calcareous ring not tubular, radial plates with paired composite tapering tails; inter-radial plates not composite, lacking posterior extensions, truncate, less than half total length of radial plates; single polian vesicle; lacking gonad tubules.

Mid-body ossicles tables only, table discs variably round to oval, margins smooth and slightly lobed, disc lengths variable from 64 µ m to 192 µ m, frequently 96 µ m, table spires short, about 24 µ m long, predominantly 4 pillars, rarely 5, blunt apical spines; endplates up to 144 µ m diameter, endplate support ossicles tables with curved discs, discs up to 136 µ m long; tentacle ossicles abundant small, fine rods, intergrading with stout rods with swollen multi-perforate and bluntly denticulate ends, each end with a large and up to 10 small marginal perforations, rods up to 176 µ m long.

Colour. Body grey-brown, introvert white, tentacles pale brown with some dark brown markings.

Distribution. Australia, south coast of New South Wales, Disaster Bay, 79 m.

Etymology. Named from the Latin notialis (southern), for the research vessel Southern Surveyor.

Remarks. Phyllophorella notialis O’Loughlin sp. nov. is distinguished from other southern Australian species of Phyllophoridae in the key (above).

Figures

Figure 1. Photos of preserved type specimens. a, Lipotrapeza eichleri O’Loughlin sp. nov. (holotype NMV F174906); b, Lipotrapeza eichleri calcareous ring (paratype NMV F161502); c, Lipotrapeza litusi O’Loughlin sp. nov. (holotype WAM Z13475); d, Thyonidiella kungi O’Loughlin sp. nov. (holotype NMV F76637) (insert: form of the calcareous ring plates); e, Phyllophorella notialis O’Loughlin sp. nov. (holotype NMV F132691) (insert: form of the calcareous ring plates); f, Phyllophorella notialis calcareous ring (holotype).

Figure 7. SEM images of ossicles from holotype of Phyllophorella notialis O’Loughlin sp. nov. (NMV F132691). Tentacle rods (top right) and 4-pillared tables from the body wall.