Psolidium laperousazi O'Loughlin & Ahearn 2008, sp. nov.
Creators: name: O'Loughlin, P. Mark
name: Ahearn, Cynthia
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2008
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Echinodermata
Holothuroidea
Dendrochirotida
Psolidae
Psolidium
Psolidium laperousazi

description: Psolidium laperousazi sp. nov.
Table 1, Figures 1c, 2f, 6b–c
Material examined. Holotype: SE Tasmania, D’Entrecasteaux Channel, Tinderbox, E of boat ramp, 1.5–3 m, K. L. Gowlett-Holmes, 14 Jul 1991, SAM K2172.
Paratypes: type locality and date, K2339 (2); South Australia, Kangaroo I, b/wn Western River Cove and Snug Cove, W side, 8–10 m, K. L. Gowlett-Holmes, 24 Feb 2003, K2179 (1, live colour photo SAM PK0253).
Description. Psolidium species up to 27 mm long (preserved); body height low to moderately high; dorsal and lateral scales thick, embedded in thick integument, imbricating, up to 1.5 mm wide; dorsal and lateral tube feet conspicuous, abundant.
Sole: peripheral band of tube feet, 3-4 wide, not always continuous anteriorly and posteriorly, lacking series of distinctly separate outer small tube feet; regular, close series of mid-ventral radial tube feet, 2 wide.
Dorsal and lateral ossicles: multi-layered perforated ossicles (scales), thick, irregular form; deeply cupped crosses and more abundant partially and fully closed cups, 40-72 μ m, typical size range 56-64 μ m long, cup rim densely, finely spinous; small to large buttons, up to 12 perforations, thick, smooth, irregular form, up to 264 μ m long, intergrade with multi-layered ossicles.
Ventral ossicles: predominantly large single-layered perforated plates, up to 20 perforations, rarely up to 42 perforations in larger specimens, variable thickening, irregularly round to elongate, smooth, irregular margin, up to 368 μ m long; perforated plates with variable surface and peripheral knobs rare; perforated plates with 4 perforations rare; moderately deep to deeply cupped crosses and more abundant partially and fully closed cups, 48 – 64 μ m long, typical size range 48–56 μ m long, cup rim bluntly spinous.
Tentacle ossicles include rosettes, irregularly oval, densely branched, up to 80 μ m long in larger specimens.
Colour. Live: dark pink dorsally. Preserved: pale brown to cream dorsally and ventrally; small, discrete, dark brown spots may be present on the sole.
Distribution. SE Tasmania (D’Entrecasteaux Channel) to South Australia (Kangaroo I); 1– 10 m.
Etymology. Named for Thierry Laperousaz (Collection Manager, Marine Invertebrates, South Australian Museum), with gratitude for his prompt and gracious assistance with loans.
Remarks. The distinguishing characteristics of Psolidium laperousazi sp. nov. are the embedding of the dorsal and lateral scales in thick integument, the abundant and conspicuous tube feet, the predominance of cups over cupped crosses dorsally and ventrally, large rosettes in the tentacles, and the presence of dark spots on the sole.
description: Published as part of O'Loughlin, P. Mark & Ahearn, Cynthia, 2008, Australian species of Psolidium Ludwig (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Psolidae), pp. 1-22 in Memoirs of Museum Victoria 65 on page 15, DOI: 10.24199/j.mmv.2008.65.2, http://zenodo.org/record/8065020