Holothuria (Theelothuria) asperita Cherbonnier & Féral, 1981: 389, fig. 19A-K; Lane et al., 2000: 489; Samyn, 2003: 78.
Type data: EcHh 3028; 14°01’N-14°02,8’N / 120°22,8’ E – 120°24,3’ E (station 21 (Philippines); 174-223 m depth; coll. J. Forest; MUSORSTOM Expedition; poorly-preserved; poorly relaxed; ventro-longitudinal dissection.
Anatomical description: 140 mm long; 17-25 mm wide; bivium arched; trivium flattened; mouth ventral; anus terminal; dorsal body wall mottled beige-brown; ventral body wall mottled beige-brown; tentacles dark brown; color of dorsal appendages could not be determined; color of ventral tube feet could not be determined; spreading of dorsal appendages and ventral tube feet could not be determined; bivium and trivium not separated by lateral fringe of appendages; body wall 3-5 mm thick, rough to the touch; number of tentacles could not be counted; radial plates posteriorly with deep indention; interradial plates as wide as radial ones; radial plates nearly twice as long as the interradial ones; 2 Polian vesicles; no stone canals observed; longitudinal muscles wide, bifid, free at edges; respiratory tree longer then half of the body length; cloaca 23 mm long; Cuvierian tubules absent.
Ossicle description: tentacles with rods of different sizes, slightly curved, slightly rugose and with undulating margin; dorsal body wall with tables with smooth undulating roundish disc with one central hole and one ring of peripheral holes, four pillars united by 3-5 cross beams ending in a narrow crown and buttons with smooth undulating margin and perforated by 4- 7 pairs of holes; ossicle assemblage of the ventral body wall was not assessed; dorsal appendages with tables similar to those of body wall, buttons similar but more stout than those of body wall and rods with distal and central perforated widening; ossicle assemblage of ventral tub feet could not be assessed; longitudinal and cloacal retractor muscles, cloaca, respiratory tree and gut devoid of ossicles.
Known distribution: Station 21: 14°01’N-14°02,8’N / 120°22,8’ E – 120°24,3’ E (Philippines).
Taxonomic decision: valid species (confirmed after re-examination of the holotype).
For original description click here.
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