Holothuria (Selenkothuria) vittalonga Cherbonnier, 1988: 58, fig. 21A-K) ; Samyn, 2003: 68.
Type data: EcHh 3547; Station 1/16, Tuléar (Madagascar); coll. P Galeron, 1972; unknown depth; well preserved; well relaxed; calcareous ring removed from specimen; anal side severely damaged by dissection.
Anatomical description: 105 mm long; 23-34 mm wide; bivium arched; trivium distinctly flattened; mouth ventral; anus terminal; dorsal body wall yellow-beige with two narrow longitudinal black lines on the ambulacrae; ventral body wall yellow-beige; tentacles brown; ventral tube feet yellow-beige; dorsal appendages yellow; dorsal appendages spread regularly over complete bivium; ventral tube feet spread regularly over trivium; bivium and trivium not separated by lateral fringe of appendages; body wall 2,5 mm thick, smooth to the touch; 12 tentacles counted; structure of the calcareous ring could not be determined; number of tentacle ampullae could not be determined; number of Polian vesicles could not be determined; number and size of stone canals could not be determined; gonad small, very thin, yellowish unramified tubules; longitudinal muscles bifid, wide, attached at edges; respiratory tree longer than 1/2 body length; cloaca 15 mm long; Cuvierian tubules present; very small.
Ossicle description: tentacles with straight rods with lateral extensions and sometimes some distal perforations; dorsal and ventral body wall with rods with lateral extensions occasionally branching distally and with distal perforations; ventral tube feet with rods as in body wall whereby some also perforated laterally; longitudinal and cloacal retractor muscles, gonad, respiratory tree and gut devoid of ossicles; ossicle assemblage of dorsal appendages, anal papillae and cloaca could not be assessed.
Known distribution: known only from the type locality
Taxonomic decision: valid species (confirmed after examination of holotype).
For original description click here.
{morfeo 68}
