The southern African stichopodid holothurians, with notes on the changes in spicule composition with age in the endemic Neostichopus grammatus (H.L. Clark)

Abstract

Four species of stichopodid holothurians, namely the Indo-West Pacific Stichopus chloronotus Brandt, S. variegatus Semper, Thelenola anax HL Clark and the endemic Neostichopus grammatus (HL Clark) occur in the southern African shallow waters (south of 200S latitude). Besides T. anax, which is not present in the material studied, notes are provided on the remaining three species. of which S. variegatus is here recorded from this region for the first time. The changes with age in the composition of the body wall spicules of N. grammatus are described and it is indicated that the characteristic dumb-bell-shaped deposits of the dorsal papillae, consistent in both juveniles and adults, offer a reliable and easily accessible morphological character in preserved specimens. A key to all four species is provided and their geographic distributions are mapped.