Holothuria (Selenkothuria) bacilla Cherbonnier, 1988: 62, fig. 23A-F; Samyn, 2003: 68; Samyn et al., 2005: 88.
Type data: EcHh 4045; Tuléar, Station 2/15 (Madagascar); unknown depth; coll. P. Galeron; 1972; well preserved; well relaxed; not eviscerated; dissected longitudinally, calcareous ring cut away
Anatomical description: 62 mm long; 11-14 mm wide; bivium arched; trivium slightly flattened; mouth ventral; position of anus terminal; dorsal body wall deep brown mottled with beige; ventral body wall reddish-brown; tentacles brown; ventral tube feet light beige; dorsal appendages light beige; dorsal appendages few, spread regularly over complete bivium; ventral tube dispersed regularly over trivium; bivium and trivium not separated by lateral fringe of appendages; body wall 0.5 mm thick, more or less rough to the touch; 19 tentacles counted; radial plates quadrangular, slightly indented posteriorly; shape and size of interradial plates could not be determined; number of tentacle ampullae could not be determined; presence of Polian vesicle(s) could not be determined; presence of stone canals could not be determined; gonad was not observed; longitudinal muscles bifid, narrow, flat, attachment at edges could not be determined; respiratory tree longer than 1/2 body length; cloaca 9 mm long; Cuvierian tubules absent.
Ossicle description: tentacles with slightly rugose rods, perforated distally; dorsal body wall with many small, occassionaly distally perforated, rugose rods; ventral body wall with few small, rugose, non-perforated rods; dorsal appendages devoid of ossicles; ventral tube feet with very few rods and fully formed end-plate; ossicle assemblage of anal papillae could not be determined; longitudinal muscles devoid of ossicles; cloacal retractor muscles with many, smooth, non-perforated, slender rods; cloaca devoid of ossicles; Gonad devoid of ossicles.
Known distribution: Madagascar and the Comoros.
Taxonomic decision: valid species (confirmed after re-examination of holotype and other voucher specimens); here listed as senior subjective synonym of H. spinea Cherbonnier, 1988; decision we take as so-called ‘First reviser’.
For original description click here.
{morfeo 27}