A new species of sea cucumber, Holothuria (Vaneyothuria) serishae sp. nov., from southern Mozambique and two new southern African records (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Holothuriida: Holothuriidae)

Thandar (2007) described two sea cucumber specimens taken from off the coast of southern Mozambique as Holothuria (Vaneyothuria) integra Koehler & Vaney, 1908. He suspected that these might represent a new species or subspecies but hesitated to describe them as such. Now, on more careful examination of that material and literature, it is clear that the Mozambique material is sufficiently distinct from that described from other parts of the Indo-Pacific Ocean to warrant the establishment of a new species, herein named Holothuria (Vaneyothuria) serishae sp. nov.

It is based collectively on the multiplicity of the Polian vesicles and stone canals, the prominent posteriorly displaced water ring, and the absence of Cuvierian tubules. In addition, two new southern African records and two others, overlooked by Thandar (2022) in his extensive monograph, are here briefly included to add to the total composition of the southern African holothuroid fauna, south of the tropic of Capricorn.

The new records are A ctinopyga crassa Panning, 1944 and Holothuria (Stauropora) cf. hawaiiensis Fisher, 1907, while the two overlooked by Thandar (2022) are Actinopyga obesa Selenka, 1867 and Holothuria (Stichothuria) coronopertusa Cherbonnier & Feral, 1981. The latter species, taken from Sodwana Bay, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, by Dr. Yves Samyn and his team, is still in the process of re-description and re-classification, but is here included to add to the total composition of the southern Africa sea cucumber fauna.

These increase the number of southern African holothuroids recorded by Thandar (2022) from 171 to 175 nominal species and that of South Africa alone from 152 to 156 nominal species.