Holothuria (Theelothuria) foresti Cherbonnier & Féral, 1981: 387, fig. 18A-J; Lane et al., 2000: 489; Samyn, 2003: 78.
Type data: EcHh 3024; Station 72 of Mission MUSORSTOM (Philippines), 122-127 m depth; coll.: J. Forest; 28.III.1976; well preserved; poorly relaxed; ventro-longitudinal dissection; calcareous ring and associated structures have been removed; specimen partly eviscerated.
Anatomical description: 140 mm long; 30-38 mm wide; bivium arched; trivium flattened; mouth sub-terminal; anus dorsal; dorsal body wall beige, mottled with brown; ventral body wall beige; tentacles beige-brown; dorsal appendages whitish; ventral tube feet whitish; dorsal papillae in distinct rows along the ambulacrae; ventral tube feet in distinct rows along the ambulacrae; bivium and trivium prominently separated by lateral fringe of appendages; body wall 5 mm thick, rough to the touch; tentacles small, number could not be counted; radial plates with slightly indented posterior side; radial plates 1/3 wider than interradial ones; radial plates 1,5-2 times longer than interradial ones; number of tentacle ampullae could not be determined; two Polian vesicles, 25 and 30 mm long; presence of stone canals could not be determined; gonad in single tuft with ramified tubules; longitudinal muscles bifid, wide, free at edges. Cuvierian tubules absent.
Ossicle description: tentacles with rods of various size, slightly curved with rim undulating and with distal ends occassionally bifurcating; dorsal and ventral body wall with tables with spiny disc with turned upward rim, very low spire ending in very spiny crown which is as wide as the disc, and fenestrated spheres with generally 3 pairs of holes; dorsal appendages and anal papillae with numberous fenestrated ellipsoids, some tables as in body wall, tack-like tables and stout centrally and distally widened perforated rods; ventral tube feet with ossicle assemblage similar to that of the dorsal appendage, however without tack like tables; gut cloaca with slender spiked rods; longitudinal and cloacal retractor muscles, gonad and respiratory tree devoid of ossicles; ossicle assemblage of the rete mirabile could not be determined.
Known distribution: only known from the type locality.
Taxonomic decision: valid species (confirmed after examination of the holotype).
For original description click here.
{morfeo 36}
