Benthodytes

Benthodytes
Benthodytes sanguinolenta[2]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Holothuroidea
Order: Elasipodida
Family: Psychropotidae
Genus: Benthodytes
Théel, 1882[1]

Benthodytes is a genus of sea cucumbers in the family Psychropotidae.[3]

Discovery

This group of sea cucumbers was first described by scientists aboard the H.M.S. Challenger during its 1873-1876 voyage.[4] Théel described the genus: "Body more or less depressed, with the anterior part of its brim rather large. Mouth ventral, at a greater distance from the foremost extremity of the body. Anus posterior, dorsal, usually almost terminal. Tentacles (?) twelve to twenty. Pedicels arranged in a single row round the brim of the body and in a double one along the odd ambulacrum. The dorsal surface seldom naked, commonly with a greater or smaller number of retractile or non-retractile, more or less inconsiderable processes, arranged in a single row all along each ambulacrum or in an irregular double row, or scattered over the lateral interambulacrae."[4] Théel also documented the details of species B. typica, B. sanguinolenta, and B. abyssicola.[4]

Anatomy

Among Psychropotidae, Benthodytes (synonym Benthodites) are characterized by "soft retractile tentacles, circum-oral or post-oral papillae and the absence of an unpaired dorsal appendage."[5]

Significance

Several species of Benthodytes are good indicators of the potential impacts of deep-sea mining and have been the subject of multiple studies.[6][7] Identification of distinct species is most often based on photography, since the delicate anatomy of the sea cucumbers is often damaged in the process of sampling.[6] Genome sequencing technology is paving the way for more accurate accounts of the evolution and taxonomy of Benthodytes species, starting with B. rosea and B. typica.[8] Additionally, the mitochondrial genome of B. marianensis has been sequenced and was found to contain a novel gene arrangement among holothurians that could be an adaptation allowing for survival at great depths.[9]

Species

Several species included in the genus Benthodytes have been reclassified using different nomenclature.[10] This list is subject to change as phylogenetic data clarifies the relationships among difficult-to-identify creatures whose soft appendages are often lost in the process of sample collection.[11]

  • Benthodytes abyssicola
  • Benthodytes gosarsi
  • Benthodytes incerta
  • Benthodytes lingua
  • Benthodytes manuensis
  • Benthodytes marianensis
  • Benthodytes plana
  • Benthodytes sanguinolenta
  • Benthodytes sibogae
  • Benthodytes superba
  • Benthodytes typica
  • Benthodytes valdiviae
  • Benthodytes violeta
  • Benthodytes wolffi

References

  1. ^ Théel, H. (1882). Report on the Holothuroidea dredged by H.M.S. 'Challenger' during the years 1873-76. Part i. Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of H.M.S. Challenger during the years 1873–1876. Zoology. 4 (part 13): i-ix, 1-176, pl. 1-46., available online at http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/Zool-13/htm/doc.html
  2. ^ Glover, Adrian; Wiklund, Helena; Rabone, Muriel; Amon, Diva; Smith, Craig; O'Hara, Tim; Mah, Christopher; Dahlgren, Thomas (2016). "Abyssal fauna of the UK-1 polymetallic nodule exploration claim, Clarion-Clipperton Zone, central Pacific Ocean: Echinodermata". Biodiversity Data Journal. 4 e7251. doi:10.3897/BDJ.4.e7251. PMC 4759440. PMID 26929713.
  3. ^ "Benthodytes". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species.
  4. ^ a b c Théel, H. (1882). Report on the Holothuroidea dredged by H.M.S. 'Challenger' during the years 1873-76. Part i. Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of H.M.S. Challenger during the years 1873–1876. Zoology. 4 (part 13): i-ix, 1-176, pl. 1-46., available online at http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/Zool-13/htm/doc.htm
  5. ^ "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Benthodytes Théel, 1882". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  6. ^ a b Rodrigues, Nimi; Sharma, Rahul; Nagender Nath, B (2001-01-01). "Impact of benthic disturbance on megafauna in Central Indian Basin". Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography. Indian Deep-sea Environment Experiment (INDEX). 48 (16): 3411–3426. Bibcode:2001DSRII..48.3411R. doi:10.1016/S0967-0645(01)00049-2. ISSN 0967-0645.
  7. ^ Amon, Diva; Ziegler, Amanda; Kremenetskaia, Antonina; Mah, Christopher; Mooi, Rich; O'Hara, Tim; Pawson, David; Roux, Michel; Smith, Craig (2017). "Megafauna of the UKSRL exploration contract area and eastern Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean: Echinodermata". Biodiversity Data Journal. 5 e11794. doi:10.3897/BDJ.5.e11794. PMC 5515089.
  8. ^ Bisol, PM; Costa, R.; Sibuet, M. (1984). "Ecological and genetical survey on two deep-sea holothurians: Benthogone rosea and Benthodytes typical". Marine Ecology Progress Series. 15: 275–281. Bibcode:1984MEPS...15..275B. doi:10.3354/meps015275.
  9. ^ Mu, Wendan; Liu, Jun; Zhang, Haibin (2018-11-30). Ruggeri, Paolo (ed.). "Complete mitochondrial genome of Benthodytes marianensis (Holothuroidea: Elasipodida: Psychropotidae): Insight into deep sea adaptation in the sea cucumber". PLOS ONE. 13 (11) e0208051. Bibcode:2018PLoSO..1308051M. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0208051. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 6267960. PMID 30500836.
  10. ^ "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Benthodytes Théel, 1882". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  11. ^ Bluhm, Hartmut; Gebruk, Andrej (1999). "Holothuroidea (Echinodermata) of the Peru Basin - Ecological and Taxonomic Remarks Based on Underwater Images". Marine Ecology. 20 (2): 167–195. Bibcode:1999MarEc..20..167B. doi:10.1046/j.1439-0485.1999.00072.x. ISSN 1439-0485.

Further reading