Sea Cucumbers (Holothuroidea) are a class of Echinoderms that have become elongated and worm-like, effectively becoming secondarily bilaterally symmetrical. Like all Echinoderms they have a calcareous exoskeleton, but this is greatly reduced, typically only occurring as ossicles within the epidermis. The muscle structure of Sea Cucumbers is instead supported by a layer of modified collagen that can be stiffened or relaxed at will, allowing for a more flexible body than that of other Echinoderms. The Family Psychropotidae currently comprises 37 species of deep-sea Sea Cucumbers, which are elongated and flattened to facilitate swiming, and typically have a large tail-appendage of uncertain purpose. Although the Psychropotidae were first discovered during the H.M.S. Challenger Expedition of 1872–1876, the group are relatively understudied, and phylogenetic relationships within the family poorly understood.
In a paper published in the journal ZooKeys on 9 March 2022, Chuan Yu of the School of Oceanography at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and the Key Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem Dynamics at the Second Institute of Oceanography of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Dongsheng Zhang, also of the School of Oceanography at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and the Key Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem Dynamics at the Second Institute of Oceanography of the Ministry of Natural Resources, and of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Ruiyan Zhang, again of the School of Oceanography at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Chunsheng Wang, once again of the School of Oceanography at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and the Key Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem Dynamics at the Second Institute of Oceanography of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, and of the State Key Laboratory of Satellite Ocean Environment Dynamics of the Ministry of Natural Resources, describe a new species of Psychropotid Sea Cucumber from the Western Pacific.
The new species is described from four specimens collected from the Weijia Guyot and Kyushu-Palau Ridge by the Jiaolong Human Operated Vehicle. The new species is placed in the genus Benthodytes , and given the specific name jiaolongi, in reference to the vehicle used to recover the specimens.
Benthodytes jiaolongi is a red-to-violet elongated and subcylindrical Sea Cucumber reaching about 25 cm in length. It has eighteen tentacles surrounding its mouth, and two rows of midventral tube feet.
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