Psolidium marshae 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 marshae

description: Psolidium marshae sp. nov.
Table 1, Figures 1d, 3a, 6d–f
Material examined. Holotype: Western Australia, Cape Naturaliste, Geographe Bay, Bunker Bay, granite reef, brown algae canopy, Cystophora, 33°32.152'S 115°01.993'E, 5.4 m, A. Sampey, 15 Apr 2005, WAM Z31173.
Paratype: Eagle Bay, granite reef, brown algae canopy, Sargassum, Cystophora, 33°33.387'S 115°04.078'E, 4.9 m, A. Sampey, 2 Feb 2005, Z31165 (1).
Other material. South Australia, Kangaroo I, b/wn Western River Cove and Snug Cove, 12–14 m, under rock, on coralline red alga or sponge, K. L. Gowlett-Holmes, 14 Mar 2004, SAM K2173 (1, live colour photo SAM PK0273).
Description. Psolidium species up to 10 mm long (preserved); very uneven surface; dorsal and lateral scales thick, up to 1.5 mm wide; oral and anal scales small, tapering to rounded end distally.
Sole with peripheral band of tube feet, band up to 4 wide, size variable, outermost series slightly smaller; mid-ventral radial series irregular, up to 4 wide; peripheral series of tube feet variably continuous anteriorly and posteriorly.
Dorsal and lateral ossicles: multi-layered ossicles (scales) thick, tube foot canals; buttons numerous, thick, smooth, not knobbed, irregularly oval, 3-9 perforations, up to 216 μ m long; crosses small, deeply cupped, most quadri-radiate, some tri- or penta-radiate, abundant, typically 32 μ m long, arms distally spinous, spinelets long, spinelets sometimes joined to close rim to form cups; rosettes abundant, oval, typically 32 μ m long.
Sole ossicles: knobbed plates numerous, variable form, 4-16 perforations, thickly knobbed on surface and marginally, up to 240 μ m long; cups and cupped crosses shallow concave, with digitiform spinelets marginally only; cups and cupped crosses of 2 sizes, larger typically 72 μ m long, of variable form, some intergrading with knobbed plates, smaller typically 32 μ m long, quadri-radiate or tri-radiate base, marginal rim closed or not.
Tentacle ossicles include abundant rosettes, oval, up to 56 μ m long.
Colour. Live. Predominantly white with some brown patches.
Preserved: dorsally and laterally off-white with dark brown-black patches and flecks; sole off-white; tentacle trunks with dark brown markings.
Distribution. Western Australia, Cape Naturaliste, Geographe Bay; granite; 5 m; South Australia, Kangaroo I; 12– 14 m.
Etymology. Named for Loisette Marsh (Research Associate, Marine Invertebrates Section, Department of Aquatic Zoology, WesternAustralian Museum),in appreciation of her considerable contribution to echinoderm systematic and biogeographical research, and with gratitude for her gracious assistance with loans of echinoderm specimens for systematic research.
Remarks. The distinctive characters of Psolidium marshae sp. nov. are the presence of 2 size ranges of cupped crosses and cups in the sole, and presence of rosettes in the body wall.
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 pages 15-16, DOI: 10.24199/j.mmv.2008.65.2, http://zenodo.org/record/8065020