Benthodytes cf sanguinolenta Théel, 1882

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 : 233-234

Benthodytes cf sanguinolenta Théel, 1882

Material examined. NMV F308225 * (1) [IN 2022 V 08 122] .

Diagnosis. Specimen elongated, slightly raised mid-dorsally but flattened anteriorly, and flattened and tapered posteriorly, 24 cm long, 4.5 cm wide and 1.5 cm high (preserved). Pink to brown and purple (pre-preservation). Heavily damaged and outer skin appears to be stripped, leaving the specimen fluffy. Dorsal radial bands visible, but papillae minute or lost. Midventral line also visible, but tube feet lost. Fused lateral brim of tube feet. Anus dorsal, close to terminal. Mouth ventral, with clear anterior brim of post-oral papillae. At least 16 soft tentacles with marginal processes visible in this specimen, retracted into skin folds. Ossicles rare, only a few irregular smooth rods up to 256 μm long.

Remarks. Superficially different from images of Benthodytes cf. sanguinolenta reported from the CCZ (Bribiesca et al., 2022) and morphologically congruent (where features available) with the diagnosis and whole-body photographs (pl. 3–6) of B. sanguinolenta from Hansen (1975). Not identified past Benthodytes cf sanguinolenta here due to the poor state of the specimen.

Distribution. This specimen lot only: Indian Ocean, Australian IOT, Cocos (Keeling) Islands Territory, Investigator Ridge Abyssal Stn. , 4980–4990 m.

Full bathymetric range. 4980–4990 m.

References. Bribiesca et al. (2022), Hansen (1975), Li et al. (2018), Ludwig (1894), Théel (1882).