Orphnurgus sp.

Mackenzie, Melanie, Davey, Niki, Burghardt, Ingo & Haines, Margaret L., 2024, A report of sea cucumbers collected on the first dedicated deep-sea biological survey of Australia’s Indian Ocean Territories around Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea), Memoirs of Museum Victoria (Mem. Mus. Vic.) 83, pp. 207-316 : 277

Orphnurgus sp. MoV. 7332

Appendix 1, Table S1.

Material examined. NMV F308297 (1) [IN 2022 V 08 157] .

Remarks. One additional lot from a single station at 1019–1023 m was identified to Orphnurgus based on external morphology and ossicles. Presence of some “fat” ellipsoid transformed rods, absence of spinous rods with thorny ends, and presence of some spatulated rods means this specimen is excluded from Orphnurgus glaber Walsh 1891 sensu stricto and all other genera as currently described. Here we identify this specimen to Orphnurgus sp. MoV. 7332 because ossicles still fit Hansen’s (1975) synonymised revision of O. glaber , which requires morphological examination of type and comparative material, genetic investigation, and significant literature review to sort species-level characters and identify this specimen as either a new species or species to be raised out of synonymy.

Distribution. This specimen lot only: Indian Ocean, Australian IOT, Cocos (Keeling) Islands Territory, Muirfield Seamount Stn., 1019–1023 m.

References (for genus). Fisher (1907), Hansen (1975), Pawson (2002), Thander (1992), Théel (1879), Walsh (1891).