A NEW SPECIES OF THE HOLOTHURIAN GENUS PHYLLOPHORUS FROM SOUTH-AFRICAWITH A KEY TO SUBGENUS PHYLLOPHORELLA

Fourteen specimens of a shallow-water, sand-inhabiting, polytentaculat e holothuroid, dredged from Durban, South Africa, are new and describe d as Phyllophorus (Phyllophorella) rosetta sp. nov. The new species is distinct in possessing an abundance of rosettes in all parts of the b ody wall, often in combination with tables typical of those of the Phy llophorus subgenus Phyllophorella Heding & Fanning, 1954. In the form of its tables and rosettes the new species appears to be closely relat ed to P. (P) contractura Cherbonnier, 1988 from Madagascar but differs from it in the form of its calcareous ring, the number of polian vesi cles and the presence of rosettes throughout the body wall, instead of their restriction to the anal region. The presence of rosettes makes the new species, together with P. (P) contractura, a good intermediate between Phyllaphorus and Lipotrapeza. The new species increases to ni ne the number of species now classified in the subgenus Phyllophorella . All nine species are keyed.