First Record of a Sclerodactylid Sea Cucumber, Ohshimella Ehrenbergii(Selenka, 1868) from Iranian Waters (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Sclerodactylidae)

Indian Journal of Geo-Marine Sciences Vol. 41(2), April 2012, pp. 117-120

First record of a sclerodactylid sea cucumber, Ohshimella ehrenbergii(Selenka, 1868) from Iranian waters (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Sclerodactylidae)

Abdul-Reza Dabbagh*, Musa Keshavarz, Dariush Mohammadikia and Mohammad-Reza Sedaghat Young Researchers Club, Bandar-e Lengeh, Iran *[E-mail: [email protected]] Receive 29 November 2010; revised 06 May 2011 One specimen of a sclerodactylid sea cucumber was collected by snorkelling diving at depth 2.5 m from Farur Island in 2008 in Iranian waters of the Persian Gulf. This paper shows a morphological description of the specimen and the habitat characteristics.

[Keywords: sclerodactylid sea cucumber, Iranian waters, Ohshimella ehrenbergii] Introduction Urodemas ehrenbergii Selenka, 1868: 114, Figs 6-8; Six orders viz. Aspidochirotida, Elasipodida, Phyllophorus ehrenbergii6,7. Phyllophorus ehrenbergi8. Molpadiida, Apodida, Dendrochirotida and Ohshimella ehrenbergii9; Ohshimella ehrenbergi10. 1 Dactylochirotida with 1400 species of holothurians Material examined have been known to science. In the waters around One specimen, Iranian waters of the northern Iran2-4 19 species of Holothorians have been recorded. Persian Gulf, Farur Island, not recorded, 2.5 m, coll. All of these species belonging to orders Apodida, S. A. Mohtarami, 2008. 2 Aspidochirotida and Dendrochirotida (Table 1). Few Morphology studies have been conducted on Holothorians in Specimen measured 8.5 cm long. Colour in alcohol Iranian waters. The information on presence of was greyish-brown colouration similar to living condition; Iranian holothurians only based on Danish Scientific ventral side slightly lighter in colour. Mouth ventral, Investigations in Iran. This record introduces surrounded by 20. The tentacles extended measured 40 Ohshimella ehrenbergii to Iranian waters. mm of whitish colouration. One polian vesicle was

Materials and Methods observed (5 mm). Cuvierian organ absent. The podia on The specimen was collected by snorkelling up to the dorsal side scattered. The calcareous ring with the depth 2.5 m from betwixt cavities of the rocks. It was radial prolongations subdivided (Fig. 1H). deposited at the Persian Gulf Molluscs Research Station Table 1Species of holothurians found in Iranian waters

(PGMRS), Hormozgan Province, Bandar-e Lengeh, Species Iran. Before Identification, the specimen was Aphelodactyla irania Heding anaesthetized by magnesium chloride at concentration of Colochirus loppenthini Heding 5% to extend the tentacles5. To identify of the sea Holothuria arenicula Semper cucumber, ossicles of 3 positions including, dorsal and H. Hilla Lesson Halodeima atra Jager l ventral body wall, tentacles and tube feet were H. impatients Forskal l examined. Household bleach was initially used to H. monacaria Lesson remove ossicles from the tissues. Finally, the precipitate H. ocellata Jager ossicles were examined with a microscope at 40 H. paradalis Selenka ×magnification. H. parva Lampert H. spinifera Theel Results H. leucospilota Selenka

Taxonomy Protankyra magnihamulae Heding Order Dendrochirotida Grube, 1840 P. psudo-digitata Semper Family Sclerodactylidae Panning, 1949 Stichopus variegates Semper Stolus sacellus Selenka Subfamily Cladolabinae Heding and Panning, 1954 Thorsonia fusiformis Heding Genus Ohshimella Heding and Panning, 1954 Thyone dura Koehler and Vaney Ohshimella ehrenbergii Selenka, 1868 T. festina Koehler and Vaney 118 INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL 41, NO. 2 APRIL 2012

Fig. 1Ohshimella ehrenbergii Selenka, 1868. A: Rods From Dorsal and ventral body wall; B: plate from ventral body wall; C: rosettes from ventral body wall and Tube feet; D and E: rods from Tube feet; G: Rods from tentacle; H: Calcareous ring. DABBAGH & SEDAGHAT: OHSHINELLA EHRENBERGII FROM IRANIAN WATERS 119

Fig. 2Distribution of Ohshimella ehrenbergii Selenka, 1868 on two locations in the Persian Gulf.

Spicules of Dorsal body wall were rods, 55 µm ventral body wall and the ventral podia while in our (Fig. 1A). Spicules of ventral body wall were rods specimen was observed. Massin11 stated that the (50-55 µm) (Fig. 1A), perforated plates, 135 µm (Fig. alignment of the tube feet can not be related to body 1B) and rosettes, 25-40 µm (Fig. 1C). Tube feet are sizes, but Thandar13 demonstrated smaller specimens also rods (70-110) (Fig. 1D, E), perforated plates have an ambulacral restriction of the podia in 2–3 (90 µm in diameter) (Fig. 1F) and rosettes, 30-40 µm rows, while the largest specimen has the podia (Fig. 1C). In the tentacles rods, 70-20 µm long (Fig. 1G). scattered. O. ehrenbergii is usually found amongst fine sand, Habitat characteristic rock, stones, coral and has an extensive distribution in Habitat of Ohshimella ehrenbergii rocky shore, as Indian Ocean13. the specimen was hidden inside cavity, whereas O. ehrenbergii was already reported from the extending the tentacles. The specimen was collected Arabian waters (Tarut Bay) of the Persian Gulf by at a depth of 2.5 meters. price14,15, but there is so far any description information about this. Whilst in this article, Discussion O. ehrenbergi is described for the first time from the The spinous rods and rosettes of body wall and northern Persian Gulf and Iranian waters of the extended tentacles, are all characteristic of the species 11-13 Persian Gulf (Fig. 2). Ohshimella ehrenbergii . Presence or absence of the mulberry-like rosettes somewhat would relate to Acknowledgements its distribution area in O. ehrenbergii11. Cherbonnier14 Authors are grateful to Dr. Claude Massin and showed that those are abundant in the body wall. Dr. Didier VandenSpiegel for the help for species Furthermore Thandar13 observed the tables in the identification. 120 INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL 41, NO. 2 APRIL 2012

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