Ohshimella ehrenbergii ( Selenka, 1868 )

Thandar, Ahmed S., 2006, New species and new records of dendrochirotid and dactylochirotid holothuroids (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) from off the east coast of South Africa, Zootaxa 1245, pp. 1-51 : 20-22

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.172917

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5674050

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/1E5A87CB-0A69-574F-FF37-9148F506FE53

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Ohshimella ehrenbergii ( Selenka, 1868 )
status

 

Ohshimella ehrenbergii ( Selenka, 1868) View in CoL

Figure 6 View FIGURE 6

Urodemas ehrenbergii Selenka, 1868: 14 View in CoL , figs. 6–8.

Phyllophorus View in CoL n. sp. Semper, 1868: 245, pl. 30, fig. 21.

Phyllophorus ehrenbergi (sic) Lampert, 1885: 181; Théel, 1886a: 151.

Phyllophorus frauenfeldi Ludwig, 1875: 95 , fig. 22; H.L. Clark, 1923: 417.

Cucumaria turbinata Pearson (non Hutton, 1878: 307), 1903: 189, pl. 1, figs. 2–6; 1910: 169, text figs. 13, 14; Heding and Panning, 1954, 137, text fig. 59 (synonymy).

Orcula torrense Helfer, 1913: 433 , text figs. 1–7.

Urodemella ehrenbergii Deichmann, 1944: 733 View in CoL ; 1948: 358.

Ohshimella ehrenbergii Heding and Panning, 1954: 133 View in CoL , text figs. 57–59; Thandar, 1989c: figs. 6b, 8 & 9f.

Ohshimella ehrenbergi View in CoL (sic) Clark and Rowe, 1971: 182 (dist.), pl. 30, fig. 5; Cherbonnier, 1988: 216, figs. 94 A–J.

? Urodemas gracile Selenka, 1868: 114 View in CoL ; Heding and Panning, 1954: 137.

Type

?Gottingberg Museum.

Type locality

Red Sea.

Previous South African records

East coast of KwaZulu­Natal.

Material examined

SAM­A27903, SE of Mission Rocks, Zululand, 28 16.4’ S, 32 31.4’ E, ‘Meiring Naude’, St. ZN 4, R. Kilburn, 10 vi 1988, 30 m, 1 spec; SAM­A27904, off Boteler Point, KwaZulu­Natal, 27 00.4’ S, 32 55.2’ E, NMDP, St. ZB 18 6.vi. 1990, 66 m, 1 spec; SAM A23175, Coconut Bay, Mozambique, 17.v. 1973, 1 spec.

Distribution

Indian Ocean, up to 60 m.

Habitat

Fine sand, rock, stones, coral.

Remarks

All three specimens in the collection are perhaps juvenile of this well­known Indian Ocean species. The depth of the one from Coconut Bay has not been recorded but the other two come from 30 m and 60 m. The smallest individual is in a poor state of preservation (previously dried up), measures 10 mm x 2.5 mm, and is of greyish­brown colouration; the slightly larger specimen is in an excellent state of preservation with the tentacles extended and measures 21 mm x 5 mm and of whitish colouration; the largest measures 34 mm x 12 mm and is of a dull creamish­white colouration. The two smaller specimens show an ambulacral restriction of the podia in 2–3 rows (a juvenile feature), whereas the largest specimen has the podia scattered. In the specimen with extended tentacles there are nine large tentacles in the outer ring and 10 much smaller tentacles arranged in pairs in the inner ring. The calcareous ring is typical of the species ( Figure 6 View FIGURE 6 K) with the radial prolongations subdivided.

The body wall spicules comprise the typical spinous rods, measuring 67–81 µm (mean 73 µm) in length in SAM­A27903 ( Figure 6 View FIGURE 6 A) and 54–68 µm in length (mean 59 µm) in SAM A23175 ( Figure 6 View FIGURE 6 E). In the podia and anal region of the two smallest individuals two types of rudimentary tables are present, both resembling those found in members of the genus Thyone . The first type ( Figure 6 View FIGURE 6 C) is similar to that found in the podia of the Thyone species — i.e. with curved discs, 157–181 µm in length (mean 168 µm) in SAM­A27903, with one or two perforations at each end and a two­pillared spire, 62–71 µm high (mean 67 µm), with the pillars uniting at base and ending in paired clusters of teeth. The second type of tables ( Figure 6 View FIGURE 6 D) resemble those found in the body wall also of some Thyone species — i.e. with quadrilobed and quadrilocular discs, 81–105 µm long (mean 95 µm), with one or two clusters of teeth. Often the tables are reduced to simple discs with a varying number of holes ( Figure 6 View FIGURE 6 B). Endplates present. Podia of larger specimen (SAM A23175) are supported by rods perforated at one or both ends ( Figure 6 View FIGURE 6 H), rosette­like rods (64–134 µm, mean 108 µm) ( Figure 6 View FIGURE 6 F), multilocular plates (132–210 µm, mean 176 µm) ( Figure 6 View FIGURE 6 G) and endplates (ca 350 µm). Rosettes (18–36 µm, mean 24 µm), which characterise the species, only occur in the body wall of the largest specimen. Tentacle spicules (in SAM A 23175) comprise rosettes ( Figure 6 View FIGURE 6 J), curved rods of variable length (40–240 µm, mean 99 µm) and thickness ( Figure 6 View FIGURE 6 I), the smallest ones with usually a single terminal perforation and/or tuberosities, the larger ones with several perforations at each end as well as rosettes (22–38 µm, mean 29 µm).

This is the first report of rudimentary tables, of the form here illustrated, present in the body wall of this species. These tables differ from those illustrated by Thandar (1989c) from the anal region of his South African material and by Pearson (1910) from his Querimba specimen. Thandar speculated that the anal tables of this species are perhaps juvenile deposits lost with age. It appears that the rudimentary tables of the body wall suffer the same fate. From the material at hand it appears that the rosettes develop after the loss of tables. In fact, Pearson’ s (1903 & 1910) C. turbinata , respectively from Ceylon and Querimba ( Mozambique), suspected by Heding & Panning (1954) and Thandar (1989c) to be a synonym of O. ehrenbergii , showed the presence of rosettes in the larger specimen (48 mm) from Querimba and not in the smaller specimen (25 mm) from Ceylon. Incidentally, Pearson’ s Ceylon specimen presumably possessed no tables, as they are not described. Apparently this is a very variable species whose posterior prolongations of the calcareous ring may or may not be fragmented, and its body wall and podial spicules may or may not include tables and/or rosettes, depending on age, depth or geographic location.

SAM

South African Museum

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Echinodermata

Class

Holothuroidea

Order

Dendrochirotida

Family

Sclerodactylidae

Genus

Ohshimella

Loc

Ohshimella ehrenbergii ( Selenka, 1868 )

Thandar, Ahmed S. 2006
2006
Loc

Ohshimella ehrenbergi

Cherbonnier 1988: 216
Clark 1971: 182
1971
Loc

Ohshimella ehrenbergii

Heding 1954: 133
1954
Loc

Urodemella ehrenbergii

Deichmann 1944: 733
1944
Loc

Orcula torrense

Helfer 1913: 433
1913
Loc

Phyllophorus ehrenbergi

Theel 1886: 151
Lampert 1885: 181
1885
Loc

Cucumaria turbinata

Hutton 1878: 307
1878
Loc

Phyllophorus frauenfeldi

Clark 1923: 417
Ludwig 1875: 95
1875
Loc

Urodemas ehrenbergii

Selenka 1868: 14
1868
Loc

Phyllophorus

Semper 1868: 245
1868
Loc

Urodemas gracile

Heding 1954: 137
Selenka 1868: 114
1868
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