New records of sea cucumbers (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) at Islas Marietas, Central Mexican Pacific

Abstract

Sea cucumbers (phylum Echinodermata) are common members of benthic communities in many marine ecosystems. They function as nutrient recyclers and bioturbators of soft bottoms, and are preyed upon by birds, fishes, mollusks, crustaceans and other taxa. In the Central Mexican Pacific, Islas Marietas harbours a complex and diverse community of corals and benthic invertebrates, with a particularly well-represented assemblage of echinoderms. However, little is known about the diversity of holothurians in the area. Between 2012 and 2014 a bimonthly census was conducted at Islas Marietas, and seven species were recorded for the first time at this location:
Holothuria (Halodeima) inornata, Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) hilla, Holothuria (Platyperona) difficilis, Neocucumis veleronis, Lissothuria ornata, Afrocucumis ovulum
and
Pachythyone pseudolugubris
. The absence of previous records of these species may be associated with their low densities and cryptic habits. This report acts to fill a critical knowledge gap in the distribution of holothurians in the eastern tropical Pacific and highlights the under-appreciated biodiversity of this Natural Protected Area.

Full text

New records of sea cucumbers
(Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) at
Islas Marietas, Central Mexican Pacific
rosa carmen sotelo-casas
1
, ami
’lcar levi
’cupul-magan
~a
1
, francisco alonso soli
’s-mari
’n
2
and alma paola rodri
’guez-troncoso
1
1
Laboratorio de Ecologı
´a Marina, Centro Universitario de la Costa, Universidad de Guadalajara, Av. Universidad 203,
Puerto Vallarta, 48280, Jalisco, Me
´xico,
2
Coleccio
´n Nacional de Equinodermos “Dra. Ma. E. Caso Mun
˜oz”, Instituto de Ciencias
del Mar y Limnologı
´a (ICML), Universidad Nacional Auto
´noma de Me
´xico (UNAM), Apdo. Postal 70-305, 04510, D.F. Me
´xico
Sea cucumbers (phylum Echinodermata) are common members of benthic communities in many marine ecosystems. They
function as nutrient recyclers and bioturbators of soft bottoms, and are preyed upon by birds, fishes, mollusks, crustaceans
and other taxa. In the Central Mexican Pacific, Islas Marietas harbours a complex and diverse community of corals and
benthic invertebrates, with a particularly well-represented assemblage of echinoderms. However, little is known about the
diversity of holothurians in the area. Between 2012 and 2014 a bimonthly census was conducted at Islas Marietas, and
seven species were recorded for the first time at this location: Holothuria (Halodeima) inornata, Holothuria
(Mertensiothuria) hilla, Holothuria (Platyperona) difficilis, Neocucumis veleronis, Lissothuria ornata, Afrocucumis
ovulum and Pachythyone pseudolugubris. The absence of previous records of these species may be associated with their
low densities and cryptic habits. This report acts to fill a critical knowledge gap in the distribution of holothurians in the
eastern tropical Pacific and highlights the under-appreciated biodiversity of this Natural Protected Area.
Keywords: Aspidochirotida, eastern tropical Pacific, Dendrochirotida, marine invertebrates, sea cucumber, subtropical species
Submitted 20 March 2015; accepted 9 June 2015
INTRODUCTION
The holothuroids, commonly known as sea cucumbers, are
characterized by pentamerous symmetry, which is often
obscured by a more or less conspicuous bilateral symmetry.
The body wall and other organs generally contain microscopic
calcareous particles in greater or less abundance in a variety of
different orientations and are, hence, important taxonomic
characteristics (Miller & Pawson, 1984; Borrero-Pe
´rez et al.,
2012).
Holothuroids inhabit exclusively marine environments
and are distributed from polar sea bottoms to tropical coral
reefs, where they play several functional roles: as filter-feeders
of the water column, sediment-feeders, bioturbators of soft
substrates, and as the prey of mammals, birds, fishes, crusta-
ceans, mollusks and other taxa (Bakus, 1973; Birkeland,
1989; Francour, 1997; Borrero-Pe
´rez et al., 2012). The class
Holothuroidea includes approximately 1400 species distribu-
ted across the orders Apodida, Aspidochirotida, Dactylochir-
otida, Dendrochirotida, Elasipodida and Molpadiida (Pawson,
2007). Regionally, the eastern Pacific harbours 174 species
(Alvarado & Solı
´s-Marı
´n, 2013), of which 38 species are spe-
cifically associated with coral reef environments (Sotelo-Casas
& Rodrı
´guez-Troncoso, 2014).
Coral communities of the eastern Pacific are characterized
by a high richness of the orders Dendrochirotida and
Aspidochirotida (Alvarado et al., 2008,2010; Bastida-Zavala
et al., 2013;Rı
´os-Jara et al., 2013). The dendrochirotids are
typically small and sedentary filter feeders that live in
cryptic habitats (Birkeland, 1989; Solı
´s-Marı
´net al., 2009).
They are normally present at low densities in tropical
regions due to both a high level of predation and resource
competition (Bakus, 1973; Birkeland, 1989; Francour, 1997).
Contrastingly, members of the order Aspidochirotida are
large suck-feeders that demonstrate high levels of activity
and locomotion relative to the dendrochirotids (Solı
´s-Marı
´n
et al., 2009); also they have become a commercially important
group with a high vulnerability to human activities (Purcell
et al., 2012).
Islas Marietas National Park (IMNP) harbours an import-
ant coral community in the Central Mexican Pacific (CMP),
with a diverse assemblage of holothurians that inhabit
several types of substrates, from sandy bottoms to crevices,
and on top of macroalgae and corals (Nepote-Go
´nzalez,
1998; Cupul-Magan
˜aet al., 2000; Cha
´vez-Dagostino et al.,
2000). A total of 11 species have been reported for the area
(Nepote-Go
´nzalez, 1998; Solı
´s-Marı
´n & Laguarda-Figueras,
1999; CONANP, 2007); however, the richness has been under-
estimated, as the identification of holothurians in situ is diffi-
cult due to their sedentary habits, nocturnal activity and, in
some cases, small size (Miller & Pawson, 1984; Birkeland,
1989). As they represent a key group in the coral reef commu-
nity, acknowledging the biodiversity of the holothuroids at
Corresponding author:
A.P. Rodrı
´guez-Troncoso
Email: pao.rodriguezt@gmail.com
1
Marine Biodiversity Records, page 1 of 8. #Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 2015
doi:10.1017/S1755267215000810; Vol. 8; e101; 2015 Published online

IMNP would not only increase our understanding of this
national protected area, but it could also fill a critical gap in
the distribution of holothurians of the tropical eastern Pacific.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Study area
Sampling was conducted at IMNP (20841′30′′ –20842′30′′N
105835′30′′ –105833′30′′ W) located in the CMP (Figure 1).
This region is considered an oceanographic transition zone
between two biogeographic provinces, the tropical eastern
Pacific and the temperate northern Pacific (Pantoja et al.,
2012). Therefore, the area is influenced by two oceanic cur-
rents: the California Current, which brings in cold waters
between November and April, and the Costa Rica Current,
which transports warm waters to the region between May
and October. Furthermore, seasonal upwelling occurs
between February and April (Lavı
´net al., 2006;Pantojaet al.,
2012). Collectively, the mean annual temperature is 26.48C
and ranges from 23 to 308C. The average salinity is 35 psu
(CONANP, 2007).
IMNP harbours one of the most important coral commu-
nities from the Mexican Pacific; the benthic structure is char-
acterized by the presence of branching and massive corals,
(Reyes-Bonilla et al., 2002) combined with rocky or sandy
bottoms (CONANP, 2007); the former structures, in particu-
lar, provide favourable habitats for a high diversity of both
vertebrates and invertebrates (Cha
´vez-Dagostino et al., 2000;
Cupul-Magan
˜aet al., 2000).
Sample collection and identification
Surveys were conducted via SCUBA diving at two sites in the
IMNP: Playa del Amor (Isla Redonda) and A
´rea de
Restauracio
´n (Isla Larga), by visual censuses (25 ×4m)in a
depth range from 0 to 15 m (WWF, 2006). For taxonomic
purposes only, few specimens (or only one) were collected;
however ecological observations were recorded in situ
during the surveys. The specimens were collected from a
variety of substrata in or adjacent to the main coral frame
structure (dead stony corals, rock and sand). The organisms
obtained were placed individually in plastic bags in situ,
transported to the laboratory, preserved in 70% ethanol and
stored at room temperature until the time of taxonomic
analysis.
In the laboratory, each specimen was photo-documented
using an Olympus
w
digital camera. To extract the ossicles,
small pieces of dorsal and ventral tissues from each specimen
were placed in a Petri dish, submerged in 10% sodium hypo-
chlorite solution for 10 min, and washed with fresh water in
order to remove tissue and the sodium hypochlorite. The ossi-
cles accumulated at the bottom of the Petri dish were observed
under a compound microscope (LABO
w
). The specimens and
spicules were photographed with a camera Canon EOS 7D
w
,
and afterwards drew and digitalized with the software Adobe
Photoshop CS v.8
w
. The species were identified following the
taxonomic criteria described by Deichmann (1941,1958),
Prieto Rı
´os (2010) and Solı
´s-Marı
´net al.(2009). Finally, all
species were validated with reference material from the
Coleccio
´n Nacional de Equinodermos “Dra. Ma. E. Caso” at
the Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnologı
´a (ICML),
UNAM, Mexico.
systematics
Phylum ECHINODERMATA
Class HOLOTHUROIDEA
Order ASPIDOCHIROTIDA Grube, 1840
Family HOLOTHURIIDAE Burmeister, 1837
Genus Holothuria Linnaeus, 1767
Subgenus Halodeima Pearson, 1914
Holothuria (Halodeima)inornata Semper, 1868
material examined
One specimen, deposited at the collection of the Laboratorio
de Ecologı
´a Marina, Centro de Investigaciones Costeras,
Departamento de Ciencias Biolo
´gicas, Centro Universitario
de la Costa, Universidad de Guadalajara (Playa del Amor,
20842′14.1′′N 105833′50.1′′ W).
comparative material
ICML-UNAM 5.12.0, one specimen, Isla de los Chivos,
Mazatla
´n, Sinaloa, Mexico (23810′46′′N 106824′42′′W).
description
Large species (.200 mm) with 20 tentacles. Ventral feet cylin-
drical, not crowded; dorsally four to six rows of low warts,
each carrying a small papillae with smaller, more or less cylin-
drical feet scattered between them (Figure 2G). Spicules with
an external layer of tables with small or completely reduced
disks, often with a few marginal spines; spire well developed,
with one crossbeam and four erect and eight laterally project-
ing teeth. The tables often partly reduced, with either disk or
teeth resorbed (Figure 3, pls. 2, 3 & Figure 4, pls. 1, 2).
Supporting rods or plates from tube feet with perforated or
branched ends (Figure 3, pl. 1 & Figure 4, pl. 3).
remarks
The organism presents spicules similar to Holothuria kefer-
steini. However, both species in vivo present differences in
their corporal coloration. Holothuria inornata have brownish
bodies and are normally covered with sand. They also have
black papillae, tentacles and podia, and a generally more cor-
pulent appearance (Figure 2G). The bodies of Holothuria
Fig. 1. Location of the study area: IL, Isla Larga; AR, A
´rea de Restauracio
´n; IR,
Isla Redonda; PA, Playa del Amor, Islas Marietas National Park, Nayarit,
Mexico.
2 rosa carmen sotelo-casas et al.

kefersteini are typically orange with dark green papillae, tenta-
cles and podia; their bodies are typically free of sediments.
distribution
Mexico, Revillagigedo Islands, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa
Rica, Panama, Ecuador, Galapagos and Peru (Solı
´s-Marı
´n
et al., 2009; Alvarado & Solı
´s-Marı
´n, 2013).
ecology
The species was collected from a rubble-sandy bottom envir-
onment. Specimens were observed as isolated in crevices or
between rocks, and their bodies were normally covered with
mucus, sand and/or mud. This could serve as a camouflage
mechanism or as protection against solar irradiance
(Bonham & Held, 1963).
Subgenus Mertensiothuria Deichmann, 1958
Holothuria (Mertensiothuria)hilla Lesson, 1830
material examined
One specimen, deposited at the collection of the Laboratorio
de Ecologı
´a Marina, Centro de Investigaciones Costeras,
Departamento de Ciencias Biolo
´gicas, Centro Universitario
de la Costa, Universidad de Guadalajara (A
´rea de
Restauracio
´n20841′57′′ N 105834′55.6′′ W).
comparative material
ICML-UNAM 5.26.31, two specimens, Conchas Chinas,
Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Me
´xico (20834′58′′N 105817′59′′ W).
description
Slender, spindle-shaped form, up to 200 mm long, though
usually less than 150 mm. Ventral mouth surrounded by 20
small, yellowish tentacles, anus terminal. Ventral podia
arranged in 3– 4 rows in each ambulacra area. Dorsal papillae,
large and conical, scattered in no particular order on the
bivium. The coloration was greenish-brown with numerous
Fig. 2. Specimens sampled at Islas Marietas National Park. (A) Neocucumis veleronis (Deichmann, 1941); (B) Lissothuria ornata Verrill, 1867; (C) Pachythyone
pseudolugubris Deichmann, 1941; (D) Afrocucumis ovulum (Selenka, 1867); (E) Holothuria (Mertensiothuria)hilla Lesson, 1830; (F) Holothuria (Platyperona)
difficilis Semper, 1868; (G) Holothuria (Halodeima)inornata Semper, 1868. Photographs from specimens A – D were taken from samples preserved in 70%
ethanol, while those remaining were from live specimens.
new records of holothurians in the mexican pacific 3

orange spots, marking the base of the yellowish papillae
(Figure 2E).
The spicules of the body wall were tables, with buttons of
three or five pairs of holes (Figure 2, pls. 6 – 8 & Figure 3,
pls. 5, 6). The podia and papillae spicules were similar to the
body wall spicules. Tables had circular disk with ten to four-
teen holes and tapering spires with few spines on the tips
(Figure 2, pls. 4, 5 & Figure 3, pl. 4).
distribution
Mexico, Revillagigedo Islands, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Cocos
Island, Panama, Colombia, Galapagos, Hawaii, Marianas
Islands, Marshall Islands, French Polynesia, Palau, Samoa,
Papua New Guinea, Australia, Micronesia, Guam, Kiribati,
Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Thailand, Maldives and
the Persian Gulf (Barraza, 2008; Solı
´s-Marı
´net al., 2009,
Alvarado & Solı
´s-Marı
´n, 2013).
ecology
At the study area, this species was collected from a sandy
bottom under a concrete artificial, semi-spherical structure,
forming aggregations of over 15 individuals. This species is
especially difficult to observe during diurnal visual surveys,
possibly due to their nocturnal behaviour.
Subgenus Platyperona Rowe, 1969
Holothuria (Platyperona)difficilis Semper, 1868
Fig. 3. Extracted spicules from specimens taken from Islas Marietas National Park. 1 –3: Holothuria (Halodeima)inornata Semper, 1868; 1 ¼supporting rod from
tube foot; 2 –3 ¼tables from dorsal side. 4 – 8: Holothuria (Mertensiothuria)hilla Lesson, 1830; 4 –5 ¼tables from dorsal body wall, 6 –8 ¼different types of
buttons from dorsal side. 9–11: Neocucumis veleronis (Deichmann, 1941); 9 – 10 ¼tables with low spires from dorsal side, 11 ¼plate without spire from the
dorsal side. 12–14: Lissothuria ornata Verrill, 1867; 12 ¼curved supporting plate from the dorsal side, 13 ¼tower-like body from the dorsal side, 14 ¼
hourglass-shaped body from the dorsal side. 15 – 19: Afrocucumis ovulum (Selenka, 1867), 15 ¼plate without trace of spire, 16 ¼supporting plate from tube
foot, 17–19 ¼plates with traces of spire. 20 – 22: Pachythyone pseudolugubris Deichmann, 1941.20¼knobbed button from the dorsal side, 21 ¼supporting
tables from the dorsal tube feet, 22 ¼strongly knobbed, ovoid-shaped ossicles from the dorsal side.
4 rosa carmen sotelo-casas et al.

material examined
One specimen, deposited at the collection of the Laboratorio
de Ecologı
´a Marina, Centro de Investigaciones Costeras,
Departamento de Ciencias Biolo
´gicas, Centro Universitario
de la Costa, Universidad de Guadalajara (A
´rea de
Restauracio
´n, 20841′57′′N 105834′55.6′′ W).
comparative material
ICML-UNAM 5.25.11, two specimens, Isla San Gabriel, La
Paz, Baja California Sur, Me
´xico (24833′N 110822′W).
description
Medium-sized, varying from 60 to 180 mm long. Ventral side
well demarcated from the dorsal and usually dark brown
(Figure 2F). Papillae scattered on the dorsal side without
any evident arrangement. Pedicels arranged in three bands
on the ventral side.
Spicules consist of tables, plates, rods and buttons. Tables
are short and robust with about eight holes in the disk,
often with smaller holes intercalated between them
(Figure 4, pls. 10, 11). Disks of the tables are either round or
squarish. Spires are short, with four rods and numerous
teeth and spines on top. Buttons are broad ovals with three
to five pairs of small holes. An apparent median longitudinal
ridge is present in each button (Figure 4, pl. 9). Tentacles have
curved rods with spinous ends (Figure 4, pl. 12).
remarks
At IMNP, the specimens were ≤100 mm in total length, with
evidence of gonad present.
distribution
United States of America, Mexico, Revillagigedo Islands,
Clipperton Island, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras,
Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Cocos Island, Panama, Colombia, Cook
Fig. 4. 1–3: Holothuria (Halodeima)inornata Semper, 1868; 1 –2 ¼tables with spires from the dorsal side. 3 ¼plate from tube foot. 4 – 6: Holothuria
(Mertensiothuria)hilla Lesson, 1830; 4 ¼table from dorsal body wall, 5 – 6 ¼buttons from the dorsal side. 7 – 8: Neocucumis veleronis (Deichmann, 1941).
Tables with low spires from the dorsal side. 9 – 12: Holothuria (Platyperona)difficilis Semper, 1868; 9 ¼button from dorsal tube feet, 10 –11 ¼tables
with spires from the dorsal side, 12 ¼rod from the tube feet. 13: Afrocucumis ovulum (Selenka, 1867). Plate with several spires. 14 – 16: Pachythyone
pseudolugubris Deichmann, 1941;14¼supporting table from dorsal tube feet, 15 ¼knobbed button from dorsal side, 16 ¼strongly knobbed, ovoid-shaped
ossicle from the dorsal side. 17 – 24: Lissothuria ornata Verrill, 1867; 17 ¼supporting plate from ventral feet, 18 ¼tower-like body from the dorsal side,
19 ¼hourglass-shaped body from the dorsal side, 20 ¼end plate from tube foot, 21 and 24 ¼perforated plates of the ventral sole, 22 ¼curved supporting
plate from the dorsal side, 23 ¼perforated plate from the ventral sole.
new records of holothurians in the mexican pacific 5

Islands, Marshall Islands, Guam, Pitcairn Islands, French
Polynesia, Australia, Kenya, North-western Africa
(Deichmann, 1958; Solı
´s-Marı
´net al., 2009; Alvarado &
Solı
´s-Marı
´n, 2013).
ecology
Individuals were collected from sandy bottoms under rocks
and coral rubble. At the moment of collection, the specimens
discharged fine, white filaments known as Cuvierian tubules
as a defence mechanism.
Order DENDROCHIROTIDA Grube, 1840
Family CUCUMARIIDAE Ludwig, 1894
Genus Neocucumis Deichmann, 1944
Neocucumis veleronis (Deichmann, 1941)
material examined
One specimen, deposited at the collection of the Laboratorio
de Ecologı
´a Marina, Centro de Investigaciones Costeras,
Departamento de Ciencias Biolo
´gicas, Centro Universitario
de la Costa, Universidad de Guadalajara (Playa del Amor,
20842′14.1′′N 105833′50.1′′ W).
comparative material
ICML-UNAM 5.40.4, three specimens, Playa Norte, Mazatlan,
Sinaloa, Mexico (23812′N 106825′W).
description
Medium size (100 mm long) with body tapering toward
both ends with numerous soft feet scattered over the inter-
ambulacra. The oral and anal ends are arranged in a more
orderly manner along the ambulacra. There are five large
external pairs and five inner, smaller pairs closely appressed.
Colour is mottled greyish, with orange and yellow marks on
the tentacles (Figure 2A).
Spicules comprise a scattered layer of small tables, with
oval to squarish disks, with about eight holes and dentate
edges; spires are low, mostly with two pillars and often
reduced to knobs (Figure 3, pls. 9, 10 & Figure 4, pls. 7, 8).
distribution
United States of America, Mexico, El Salvador, Nicaragua,
Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador, Peru and Chile (Solı
´s-Marı
´n
et al., 2009; Alvarado & Solı
´s-Marı
´n, 2013).
ecology
Specimens were found on soft bottoms (sand or mud), with
their tentacles distended for catching particles in the water
column. Upon contact, the individuals retracted their tenta-
cles and actively dug through the sand to avoid capture.
Family PSOLIDAE Burmeister, 1837
Genus Lissothuria Verrill, 1867
Lissothuria ornata Verrill, 1867
material examined
One specimen, deposited at the collection of the Laboratorio
de Ecologı
´a Marina, Centro de Investigaciones Costeras,
Departamento de Ciencias Biolo
´gicas, Centro Universitario
de la Costa, Universidad de Guadalajara (collected from
A
´rea de Restauracio
´n, 20841′57′′N 105834′55.6′′ W).
comparative material
ICML-UNAM 5.91.8, ten specimens, Isla Cocinas, Bahı
´a
Chamela, Jalisco, Mexico (19832′42′′N 105806′32′′ W).
description
Small size: length 85 mm. Ventral side well demarcated from
the dorsal one. Dorsal side completely covered by scales
(Figure 2B). The anterior end, bearing the tentacles, rises con-
siderably above the level of the dorsal side. The tentacles are
highly branched, not large, and the subdivisions are contracted
and form a rounded cluster on a stout pedunculated base. The
dorsal skin is soft, but filled with calcareous ossicles.
The coloration from the specimen preserved in alcohol was
light purple with a yellowish white ring around the mouth.
The base on the tentacles is purple, with yellowish subdivi-
sions (Figure 2B).
Spicules from the ventral sole are flat plates with scalloped
edges (Figure 4, pls. 21, 24). Spicules of the dorsal side are
complicated, lace-like, hourglass-shaped bodies (Figure 3, pl.
14 & Figure 4, pl. 19). There are also large towers-like
bodies (Figure 3, pl. 13 & Figure 4, pl. 18) and curved perfo-
rated plates (3:12 and 4:22). Tube feet or present curved
plates with four central holes and numerous marginal ones
(Figure 4, pl. 17). Perforated plates present on the ventral
sole (Figure 4, pl. 23).
distribution
Mexico, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Cocos Island and
Panama (Alvarado & Solı
´s-Marı
´n, 2013).
ecology
This species is observed in hidden rock walls and under cre-
vices of hard substrate exhibiting filter-feeding activity.
Family SCLERODACTYLIDAE Panning, 1949
Genus Afrocucumis Deichmann, 1944
Afrocucumis ovulum (Selenka, 1867)
material examined
One specimen, deposited at the collection of the Laboratorio
de Ecologı
´a Marina, Centro de Investigaciones Costeras,
Departamento de Ciencias Biolo
´gicas, Centro Universitario
de la Costa, Universidad de Guadalajara (A
´rea de
Restauracio
´n, 20841′57′′N 105834′55.6′′ W).
comparative material
ICML-UNAM 5.37.1, one specimen, Playa Norte, Mazatla
´n,
Sinaloa, Me
´xico (23813′N 106826′W).
description
Medium size (100 mm) with soft, thick skin and numerous
soft feet (Figure 2D). Tentacles: ten large external ones and ten
inner ones that are much smaller and may be completely
retracted into small pockets.
Spicules are characterized by a scattered layer of tables with
irregular disks varying from cross-shaped to a more or less
branching or laciniated plates (Figure 3,pls.15–19&Figure 4,
pl. 13). Spires are almost always reduced to a few spines.
6 rosa carmen sotelo-casas et al.

remarks
Specimens present an intense reddish-brown coloration in
situ. After immersion in ethanol, the red-orange pigments
were liberated.
distribution
Mexico, El Salvador, Panama and Peru (Alvarado &
Solı
´s-Marı
´n, 2013).
ecology
This species was collected from a small hole in a rocky sub-
strate covered with turf algae and sand. The specimen had
adopted a horseshoe form, with the mouth and anus presented
upwards in the water column.
Genus Pachythyone Deichmann, 1941
Pachythyone pseudolugubris Deichmann, 1941
material examined
One specimen, deposited at the collection of the Laboratorio
de Ecologı
´a Marina, Centro de Investigaciones Costeras,
Departamento de Ciencias Biolo
´gicas, Centro Universitario
de la Costa, Universidad de Guadalajara (A
´rea de
Restauracio
´n, 20841′57′′N 105834′55.6′′ W).
comparative material
ICML-UNAM 5.52.0, three specimens, Bahı
´a San Felipe, Baja
California, Mexico (31800′N 114884′W).
description
Medium-sized (up to 50 mm long). Colour is mostly mottled
brown (Figure 2C), though sometimes almost black; occasion-
ally, a pale, faded specimen may be produced after alcohol
preservation.
Spicules from the dorsal wall are four-holed knobbed
buttons, rarely elongate and possess accessory holes in the
ends (Figure 3, pl. 20 & Figure 4, pl. 15). Numerous curved,
supporting tables with a low or absent spire are located in
the ventral feet (Figure 3, pl. 21 & Figure 4, pl. 14). On the
dorsal side, a number of spicules have well-developed
complex spires, although rarely as large as those of
Pachythyone lugubris. Spicules at the introvert with large
tables of numerous holes and reduced spire. Strongly
knobbed ovoid-shaped ossicles are present in the dorsal side
(Figure 3, pl. 22 & Figure 4, pl. 16).
distribution
Mexico and Galapagos Islands (Solı
´s-Marı
´net al., 2009).
ecology
The specimen was collected in the sand, under coral rubble.
CONCLUSION
These new records contribute towards an increase in
knowledge of the biodiversity of holothuroids in the
Mexican Pacific region. Previously, a total of 11 species
were recorded, and within this data, the richness increased
by 63.6%, enhancing the importance of IMNP as a Natural
Protected Area, but most importantly, this characterizes the
CMP region as a highly biodiverse coral community,
representing organisms that are widely distributed throughout
the eastern Pacific.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
RCSC was supported by CONACyT (grant no. 291281).
The funding from projects PROMEP 220265 to A.P.
Rodrı
´guez-Troncoso, and PIFI P/PIFI-2010-14MSU0010Z-
10 to A.L. Cupul-Magan
˜a was critical for the success of this
work. The authors thank the authorities from the Islas
Marietas National Park (CONANP) for assistance and use
of facilities during the sampling periods. Thanks to
V. Sotelo-Casas for photographing the spicules and
A. Mayfield for proofreading the English.
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Correspondence should be addressed to:
A.P. Rodrı
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Laboratorio de Ecologı
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Universidad de Guadalajara, Av. Universidad 203
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email: pao.rodriguezt@gmail.com
8 rosa carmen sotelo-casas et al.