Holothuria (Cystipus) dura Cherbonnier & Féral, 1981: 385, fig. 17A-M; Samyn, 2003: 30; Laguerda-Figueras & Solis-Marin, 2009: 577.
Type data: EcHh 3000; Station 12: 14°00,8 N-120°20,5 E (Philippines); 210-187 m depth; coll. Forest J. (Mission MUSOROSTOM); 20.III.1976; well preserved; poorly relaxed; ventro-longitudinal dissection; calcareous ring and associated structures have been removed; specimen largely eviscerated.
Anatomical description: 120 mm long; 18-21 mm wide; bivium arched; trivium not distinctly flattened; mouth ventral; anus terminal; dorsal body wall white to light beige with brown patches; ventral body wall white to light brown; tentacles white to light beige; dorsal appendages white; ventral tube feet beige; dorsal appendages few, arrangement could not be determined; ventral tube feet few, arrangement could not be determined; bivium and trivium not separated by lateral fringe of appendages; body wall ±2 mm thick, rough to the touch; 15 tentacles counted; radial plates with a concave posterior side, interradial plates narrower than radial ones, radial plates approximately two times longer than interradial ones; 17 tentacle ampullae counted; number of Polian vesicles could not be determined; presence of stone canals could not be determined; gonad reduced, with unbranching tubules; longitudinal muscles bifid, wide, free at edges. Presence of Cuvierian tubules could not be assessed.
Ossicle description: tentacles with rods of various sizes, rugose, distally branching or perforated; dorsal body wall with few tables with undulating spiny and roundish disc perforated by one central hole and 1-2 rings of peripheral holes, four short pillars united by one cross beam ending in a narrow crown and abundant rugose buttons, often twisted given the appearance of a fenestrated ellipsoid, with undulating rim and with 4-6 pairs of holes; ventral body wall with buttons only, stouter but smaller and less twisted than those of the dorsal body wall, perforated with 3 to occassionally 4 pairs of holes; dorsal appendages with tables similar to those of body wall, buttons much less rugose and not twisted as those of body wall and perforated rod-like plates of various length;ventral tube feet with very few tables simlilar to those of body wall and numberous buttons with up to nine pairs of holes; anal papillae with ossicle assemblage similar to that of dorsal appendages; longitudinal and cloacal retractor muscles, gonad, respiratory tree and cloaca devoid of ossicles. Ossicle assemblage of Rete mirabile and gut was not assessed.
Known distribution: 14°00,8 N-120°20,5 E (Philippines).
Taxonomic decision: valid species (confirmed after re-examination of the holotype).
For original description click here.
{morfeo 33}
