Sea CucumbersSea CucumbersThe globally unique fauna of the The globally unique fauna of the

Victorian coastVictorian coast

My acknowledgement and gratitude for:

- Images provided by Marine Research Group members Leon Altoff, John Eichler and Platon Vafiadis.

- Assistance with image editing and PowerPoint by Liz Dane (Museum Victoria).

P. Mark O’LoughlinP. Mark O’LoughlinHonorary Associate, Museum Victoria, Honorary Associate, Museum Victoria,

Marine Science Marine Science (since 1980)(since 1980)

• Think small!Think small!

• Think hidden!Think hidden!

• Think undiscovered species!Think undiscovered species!

• Think behaviour (social, Think behaviour (social, reproductive, nutrition)!reproductive, nutrition)!

Smilasterias multipara O’Loughlin and O’Hara, 1990

Holotype, NMV F53036 Echinoderm

(seastar) gastric brooding

Echinoderm (seastar) male on female pseudo-copulationJapan species

Archaster typicus Müller and Troschel, 1840

Echinoderm (seastar) reproduction by splitting (fissiparity)

Coscinasterias muricata Verrill, 1867 [larger] Allostichaster polyplax (Müller and Troschel, 1844) [smaller]

Meridiastra fissura O’Loughlin, 2002

Echinoderm (seastar) small red optical cushion sense organ

“Brown papillate sea cucumber”Australostichopus mollis (Hutton,

1872)

“Smooth tapered sea cucumber”Paracaudina australis (Semper,

1868)

“Mottled box sea cucumber”Plesiocolochirus ignava (Ludwig,

1875)

“Eichler’s sea cucumber”

Staurothyone sp. (new)

“Chocolate sea cucumber”Staurothyone inconspicua (Bell,

1887)

“Falconer’s sea cucumber” or “Caterpillar sea cucumber”

Australostichopus mollis (Hutton, 1872)

“Golden-red sea cucumber”Squamocnus aureoruber O’Loughlin and O’Hara,

1992

Button and cup ossicles from body wall

Rod ossicle from tentacle

Body wall table ossicle

“Violet sea cucumber”Cucumella mutans (Joshua, 1914)

“Blue-grey sea cucumber”Neoamphicyclus lividus Hickman1962

“Rowe’s sea cucumber”Cucuvitrum rowei O’Loughlin and O’Hara, 1992

“White sea cucumber”Trachythyone candida O’Loughlin and O’Hara, 1992

“Black sea cucumber”Psolidiella nigra Mortensen, 1925

“Feet covered sea cucumber”Lipotrapeza vestiens (Joshua, 1914)

“Red worm sea cucumber”Taeniogyrus roebucki (Joshua, 1914)

Wheel and hook ossicles from body wall

“Violet-flecked sea cucumber”Trochodota sp. cf. allani (Joshua, 1912)

Wheel and bracket rod ossicles

“White spotted pink sea cucumber”Chiridota gigas Dendy and Hindle, 1907

Plate and anchor ossicles

“Sticky sea cucumber”Leptosynapta dolabrifera (Stimpson, 1855)

“Black and white psolid sea cucumber”Ceto cuvieria (Cuvier, 1817)

South Australia

“Antarctic psolid sea cucumber”Psolus antarcticus (Philippi, 1857)

Macquarie Island

“Hickman’s psolid seacucumber”Psolidium ravum Hickman, 1962Syntype AM J7202 (30 mm long)

Specimen from Tasmania, Derwent Estuary

“Golden-red sea cucumber”Squamocnus aureoruber O’Loughlin and

O’Hara, 1992Specimen 7 mm long

Various stages of fissiparity

“Constrictions sea cucumber”Molpadiodemas constrictus O’Loughlin and

Ahearn, 2005

Paratype USNM 1022815 (51 mm long)Specimen from North Atlantic Ocean, Puerto Rico Trench, 7086 m, 20 January 1973, collected by RV Gilliss

“Marsupial sea cucumber”Neocnus bimarsupiis O’Loughlin and O’Hara,

1992Specimen 5 mm long

“Maroon brooding sea cucumber” Pentocnus bursatus O’Loughlin and O’Hara, 1992

Holotype, NMV F57549 (6 mm long)

Juveniles and embryosCape Paterson 1980, 1981

“Chocolate sea cucumber”Staurothyone inconspicua (Bell, 1887)

Brood juveniles dissected from the coelom of a female

Coelomic embryo / juvenile attached to gonad tubule

“Blue-grey sea cucumber”Neoamphicyclus lividus Hickman, 1962

Adult (10 mm long) with 58 brood juveniles removed from coelom

Adult (20 mm long) with brood 528 brood juveniles (October)

Adult (30 mm long) with single large brood juvenile (December)

“Blue-grey sea cucumber”Neoamphicyclus lividus Hickman, 1962Brood juveniles removed from coelom

Brood embryos in pockets around anterior body wall“Hickman’s sea

cucumber”Psolidiella hickmani

O’Loughlin, 2000

“Black sea cucumber” Psolidiella nigra Mortensen, 1925

Psolidocnus amokurae (Mortensen, 1925)

New Zealand specimen and species

NZ specimen from Kaikoura, 91 m, 14 June 1961

Psolidocnus amokurae (Mortensen, 1925)

Cucumaria sp. cf. georgiana (Lampert, 1886)

Composite drawing by Mark O’Loughlin of male (with genital papilla in tentacle crown) and female (with anterior interradial marsupia with openings at the introvert)

Specimen from Prydz Bay, Antarctica

Cucumaria sp. cf. georgiana (Lampert, 1886)

Anterior view of female with juvenile emerging from marsupium, juveniles in marsupia

Male (23 mm long) with digitate genital papilla (1.5 mm long) on oral disc

Female (37 mm long) with with openings (two) into anterior interradial marsupia