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Description and phylogenetic relationships of a new genus of sea cucumbers from Australia, with two new combinations (Holothuroidea, Stichopodidae)

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Abstract

A new genus of Holothuroidea, Notostichopus, from Australia is described and its phylogenetic relationship examined. The new genus is based on two species within the family Stichopodidae, previously attributed to Stichopus. Notostichopus is characterized by the absence of rosette ossicles and the presence of table ossicles with at most one crossbeam in dorsal body wall. The two species revised here (N. ludwigi and N. ellipes) are distributed in the shallow, tropical, and temperate waters of Australia. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that this genus is closely related to the genera Isostichopus and Stichopus but is distinct based on ossicles and phylogenetic analyses. We describe the ossicle assemblages of both species.

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  • 08 November 2019

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Acknowledgements

We would like to sincerely thank Australian Museum and Museum of Comparative Zoology for granting the permission and loan of materials for this study. We would also want to thank members from the Department of Natural History Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University, National Museum of Nature and Science, Japan, and Mr. Akito Ogawa and Mr. Mikihito Arai for their kind assistance.

Funding

This study was funded by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and NRCT (Acore-COMSEA Program and Core-to-Core Program, B. Asia-Africa Science Platforms), two special grants from the Director-General of National Museum of Nature and Science (International collaboration to promote taxonomy and phylogeny of echinoderms in Southeast Asia, and Collaborative research and collection building of marine invertebrates in Southeast Asia), and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization: IOC-WESTPAC (304/PB/650691/T126).

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Correspondence to Sau Pinn Woo.

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Communicated by S. Stöhr

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Woo, S.P., Kajihara, H., Byrne, M. et al. Description and phylogenetic relationships of a new genus of sea cucumbers from Australia, with two new combinations (Holothuroidea, Stichopodidae). Mar. Biodivers. 49, 2499–2518 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-019-00974-8

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