A new genus and species of a dendrochirotid holothurian from Southern Africa

Abstract

A new genus and species of a dendrochirotid holothurian, Pawsonellus africanus, from shallow waters off the east coast of Southern Africa, are described. The new genus is compared with several genera within the family Cucumariidae and it is concluded that it is not closely related to any of them. Although its body wall spicules strongly resemble those of Panningia hyndmani (Thompson), notably the typical form described by Madsen (1942), there are several features which suggest that the two species are not congeneric. 1986 The Zoological Society of London