304
Revista de Biología Tropical, ISSN electrónico: 2215-2075 Vol. 69(S1): 304-311, March 2021 (Published Mar. 30, 2021)
Expansion of the genus Massinium (Holothuroidea: Thyonidae)
to the American continent and description of a new species
Francisco A. Solís-Marín
1
*
Alfredo Laguarda-Figueras
1
Carlos A. Conejeros-Vargas
2
Andrea A. Caballero-Ochoa
3, 4
Alicia Durán-González
1
1. Colección Nacional de Equinodermos “Dra. Ma. Elena Caso Muñoz”, Laboratorio de Sistemática y Ecología de
Equinodermos, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán,
Ciudad de México, México; fasolis@cmarl.unam.mx (*Correspondence), laguarda@cmarl.unam.mx,
aliciad@cmarl.unam.mx
2. Posgrado en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Ciudad Universitaria,
Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, México; conejeros@ciencias.unam.mx
3. Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Circuito exterior s/n, Ciudad de México, México;
a.caballero.ochoa@ciencias.unam.mx
4. Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Ciudad Universitaria 3000,
C.P. 04510, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, México.
Received 07-VII-2020. Corrected 25-VIII-2020. Accepted 06-XI-2020.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The genus Massinium includes 11 species, most from the Indo Pacific Ocean, and had not previ-
ously being reported from the American continent. Objective: To present the new record of the genus Massinium
and describe a new species of this genus. Methods: Material collection was done by SCUBA-diving to depths of
a maximum of 9 m. Results: Massinium ocumichoensis sp. nov. is described from seven specimens that extends
the range of the genus to the American continent (Guerrero, Michoacan and Jalisco, Mexico). The new species
lives in sandy-rocky substrata, from 2 to 16 m deep. It is distinguished from its congeneric species by a combina-
tion of morphological characters: mid-dorsal slightly bigger pseudobuttons (40-60 μm), and tables in the body
wall. A taxonomic key for distinguishing the species of Massinium is provided. Conclusions: The geographic
range of the genus Massinium is extended to the Mexican Pacific with M. ocumichoensis sp. nov.
Key words: Echinodermata; Dendrochirotida; biodiversity; taxonomy; new record.
Solís-Marín, F.A., Laguarda-Figueras, A., Conejeros-
Vargas, C.A., Caballero-Ochoa, A.A., & Durán-
González, A. (2021). Expansion of the genus
Massinium (Holothuroidea: Thyonidae) to the
American continent and description of a new species.
Revista de Biología Tropical, 69(S1), 304-311. DOI
10.15517/rbt.v69iSuppl.1.46363
The order Dendrochirotida is the most
diverse holothuroid order of the world (Prata
& Christoffersen, 2016). It is represented by
the families Cucumariidae, Phyllophoridae,
Psolidae, Sclerodactylidae and Thyonidae in
the Mexican Pacific waters (Solís-Marín et
al., 2013). The family Thyonidae Panning,
1949, sensu Smirnov (2012) is composed of
Dendrochirotida with 10-20 tentacles, tube
feet scattered all over the body or restricted
to the radii, the calcareous ring is segmented,
the ossicles are tables with two or four pillars
and/or plates; sometimes baskets present. The
family includes four subfamilies: Thyoninae,
Thyonininae, Hemithyoninae and Semperiel-
linae (Smirnov, 2012; Thandar, 2017). The
DOI 10.15517/rbt.v69iSuppl.1.46363
305
Revista de Biología Tropical, ISSN electrónico: 2215-2075, Vol. 69(S1): 304-311, March 2021 (Published Mar. 30, 2021)
genus Massinium Samyn & Thandar, 2003
was included in the subfamily Semperiellinae
Heding & Panning, 1954 by Thandar (2017),
this genus was erected to accommodate sea
cucumbers which have the posterior processes
of their tubular calcareous ring distally joined
to form a ring-like structure around the esopha-
gus and body wall with granuliform rods and/or
rosette-shaped deposits and tables. Samyn and
Thandar (2003) and Samyn, Thandar, and Van-
denSpiegel (2010) included six species in the
genus: the Australian endemic M. granulosum
Samyn, Thandar and VandenSpiegel, 2010; the
New Caledonian endemic M. albicans Samyn,
Thandar and VandenSpiegel, 2010; the central
Indo-Pacific M. magnum (Ludwig, 1882), the
southern African endemics M. arthroproces-
sum (Thandar, 1989), M. maculosum Samyn &
Thandar, 2003 and M. dissimilis (Cherbonnier,
1988) from Madagascar. Later O’Loughlin,
Barmos, and VandenSpiegel (2012) included
three more Australian endemic species: M.
melanieae O’Loughlin in O’Loughlin et al.
(2012), M. vimsi O’Loughlin in O’Loughlin
et al. (2012) and M. watsonae O’Loughlin
in O’Loughlin et al. (2012). Two years later
O’Loughlin, Mackenzie, and VandenSpie-
gel (2014) included the Australian endemics
M. bonapartum O’Loughlin in O’Loughlin
et al. (2014) and M. keesingi O’Loughlin in
O’Loughlin et al. (2014). Today Massinium
includes 11 species, most from the Indo Pacific
Ocean (WoRMS, 2020).
There are no previous records of the genus
on the American continent waters. Seven speci-
mens were collected along the Mexican Pacif-
ic, representing a new record of the genus and
a new species.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
During recent surveys of the echinoderm
fauna of the Mexican Pacific, seven specimens
belonging to this new species were found.
Collection was done by SCUBA-diving to
depths of a maximum of 9 m. Specimens were
anaesthetized in a solution of 4 % magnesium
chloride and seawater. After properly labelled,
fixation of the specimens was done with 70 %
ethyl alcohol. All measurements were obtained
from fixed specimens. Ossicles were extracted
from the body wall (anterior, medium and pos-
terior region) introvert and tentacles. The tissue
was dissolved in fresh household bleach (5-6.5
%) in centrifuge tubes. After centrifugation at
1 000 rpm for 10 min, bleach was pipetted off
and the ossicles were rinsed and centrifuged
with distilled water that was pipetted off after-
wards. The same process was done with 70,
80, and 95 % ethanol. Absolute ethanol was
added to the ossicles, and finally a small aliquot
was taken and placed to dry on a cylindrical
double-coated conductive carbon tape stub.
Then it was sputter coated with gold 2.5 kV
in the ionizer Polaron E3000 for 3 min and
photographed using a Hitachi S-2460N scan-
ning electron microscope (SEM). Photographs
of the holotype specimen were taken using
a Leica DFC490 digital camera, and a Leica
Z16 APOA stereomicroscope. The examined
material is deposited in the ICML-UNAM
and LACM. Zoobank link: http://zoobank.org/
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1C0A2F30-8065-
4C9C-855B-9FFD681C5A7D
Abbreviations: ICML-UNAM: Colec-
cion Nacional de Equinodermos, Instituto de
Ciencias del Mar y Limnologia, Universidad
Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico City.
LACM: Natural History Museum, Los Ange-
les County Museum, Los Angeles, California,
USA. TL: Total Length.
ANALYSIS
Order Dendrochirotida Grube, 1840
Family Thyonidae Panning, 1949
(sensu Smirnov, 2012)
Diagnosis: Dendrochirotida with 10-20
tentacles. Tube feet scattered all over body
or restricted to the radii. Calcareous ring
segmented. Ring often tubular, forked pro-
cesses of radial segments long, prominent.
Inter-radial segments often strongly elon-
gated basally fused with processes of radial
306
Revista de Biología Tropical, ISSN electrónico: 2215-2075 Vol. 69(S1): 304-311, March 2021 (Published Mar. 30, 2021)
segments; both calcareous ring segments, and
processes subdivided into many pieces. Ossi-
cles: tables with two or four pillars and/or
plates; sometimes baskets present (modified
from Smirnov, 2012).
Subfamily Semperiellinae
Heding & Panning, 1954
Diagnosis: (modified from O’Loughlin et
al., 2012 and Smirnov, 2012). A polytentaculate
subfamily of Thyonidae with 15-20 tentacles.
Tube feet lying along radii or scattered over
entire body. Calcareous ring well developed,
often tubular, radial and inter-radial plates
always broken into a mosaic of pieces, posteri-
or processes of radial and often the inter-radial
plates sub-divided, and processes of radial and
sometimes the inter-radial plates joining pos-
teriorly, the latter forming a ribbon-like ring
surrounding the water vascular ring. Body wall
ossicles 2-4 pillared tables or their derivatives.
Genus Massinium Samyn & Thandar, 2003
Diagnosis: (modified from O’Loughlin
et al., 2014). Slim, elongated body, some-
times semi-spherical forms; anterior and pos-
terior parts of the body narrow, with oral and
anal dorsal orientations; 20 dendritic tentacles
arranged in two circles of ten large outer and
ten small inner (proximal peri-oral); calcareous
ring elongated, tubular, with both radial and
inter-radial plates fragmented into a mosaic
of pieces, and posterior prolongations linked
distally to form inter-radial oval non-calcified
spaces beneath the water vascular ring; polian
vesicles from one to four; ossicles variably
include granuliform rods, rosettes, pseudobut-
tons and tables; table spires with one or two or
three or reduced pillars.
Type especies: Massinium maculo-
sum Samyn & Thandar, 2003 (by original
designation).
Massinium ocumichoensis sp. nov.
Fig. 1A, 1B, 1C, Fig. 2A, 2B, 2C,
2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 2I
Type specimen: Holotype, ICML-UNAM
10078, Faro de Bucerias, Aquila, Michoacan,
Mexico, Pacific Ocean (18°21’12.21” N &
103°31’03.06” W), 5 m, sandy-rocky bottom,
January 8
th
2013, Coll. Solis-Marin, F. A.,
Hooker, Y., Arriaga-Ochoa. J. A., Hernandez, Q.
Type locality: Faro de Bucerias, Michoac-
an, Mexico, Pacific Ocean (18°21’12.49” N &
103°31’03.80” W), 5 m, sandy-rocky bottom,
January 8
th
2012.
Other type material: Paratypes, one spec-
imen, ICML-UNAM 18367, same data as
the holotype; one specimen, LACM E.2016-
15.1, Isla Cocinas, Chamela Bay, Jalisco,
Mexico, Pacific Ocean (19°32’47.20’ N &
105°06’34.20’ W), 7 m, sandy-rocky bottom,
November 23 2016, Coll. Solis-Marin, F. A.,
Caballero-Ochoa A. A., Conejeros-Vargas, C.
A., Marquez-Borras, F. and Ayala-Aguilera,
P. A.; one specimen, ICML-UNAM 8504,
La Cagada, Acapulco Bay, Guerrero, Mex-
ico, Pacific Ocean (16°49’28.50” N &
99°55’03.62” W), 9 m, sandy-rocky bottom,
May 26 2006, Coll. Solis-Marin, F. A., Honey-
Escandon, M.; one specimen, ICML-UNAM
8952, Isla Cocinas, Chamela Bay, Jalisco,
Mexico, Pacific Ocean (19°33’45.40” N &
105°06’32.90” W), 2 m, sandy-rocky bottom,
November 17 2008, Coll. Solis-Marin, F. A.,
Honey-Escandon, M.; one specimen, ICML-
UNAM 11912, Isla Pajarera, external area,
Chamela Bay, Jalisco, Mexico, Pacific Ocean
(19°33’27.70” N & 105°07’0.60” W), 16 m,
sandy-rocky bottom, November 13 2013, Coll.
Solis-Marin, F. A., Arriaga-Ochoa, J. A., Her-
nandez, Q., Pineda-Enriquez, T., Caballero-
Ochoa, A. A.; 2 specimens, ICML-UNAM
12627, Playa Caleta, Acapulco Bay, Guerrero,
Mexico (16°49’49.16” N & 99°54’03.88” W),
307
Revista de Biología Tropical, ISSN electrónico: 2215-2075, Vol. 69(S1): 304-311, March 2021 (Published Mar. 30, 2021)
4.5 m, sandy-rocky bottom, November 16
2015, Coll. Solis-Marin, F. A., Hernández, Q.,
Parada, T.; Márquez Borrás, F., Teyssier. E.;
one specimen, ICML-UNAM 13144, Balandra
Bay, Gulf of California, Baja California Sur,
Mexico (24°19’26.94” N & 110°19’34.46”
W), 1 m, sandy-rocky bottom, March 23 2017,
Coll. Solis-Marin, F. A., Caballero-Ochoa, A.
A., Conejeros-Vargas, C. A., Ayala Aguirre P.,
Calderón-Gutiérrez, F.; one specimen, ICML-
UNAM 18368, Isla Cocinas, Chamela Bay,
Jalisco, Mexico, Pacific Ocean (19°32’46” N
& 105°06’32” W), 4-5 m, sandy-rocky bottom,
November 15 2010, Coll. Solis-Marin, F. A.,
Honey-Escandon, M.
Diagnosis: Small-sized (60-74 mm TL),
U-shaped thyonid with bloated mid-body and
relatively short anterior and posterior ends.
Anus surrounded by ten small papillae, vari-
ously developed. Tube feet scattered over entire
body. Ossicles of body wall two pillared tables
and pseudobuttons, often with minute perfora-
tions. Introvert ossicles include pseudobuttons,
tables and rosettes. Tentacles of outer ring with
smooth, slightly curved rods, perforated at the
ends, external tips of the outer tentacles ring
devoid of ossicles, tentacles of inner ring with
rods and rosettes. Body color off-white to grey,
mottled with dark brown, sometimes black;
tentacle dendritic branches black, trunks trans-
parent with black moles.
Etymology: The name ocumichoensis
refers to Ocumicho, Michoacan (same state as
the type locality), a famous small town where
folk artisans create colorful clay magical devils
and beasts.
Description of holotype: Specimen entire,
well preserved, dissected (Fig. 1A). Mouth
anterior, anus posterior, slightly developed anal
papillae; body wall firm, leathery, rather thin
(0.8-1 mm), slightly rough to the touch. Body
Fig. 1. Massinium ocumichoensis sp. nov. A. External, lateral view of holotype ICML-UNAM 10078. B. Tentacle crown of
the holotype in situ. C. Calcareous ring. R. Radial plates. I. Inter-radial plate. M. Madreporite. SC. Stone canal. PV. Polian
vesicles. E. Esophagus.
308
Revista de Biología Tropical, ISSN electrónico: 2215-2075 Vol. 69(S1): 304-311, March 2021 (Published Mar. 30, 2021)
form cylindrical, slightly contracted, bloated,
with narrow anterior and posterior ends. Intro-
vert well extended, attached to the main body.
Length of specimen along ventral surface 74
mm; along dorsal surface 64 mm; height of
mid-body approximately 18 mm; anterior and
posterior ends approximately 20 and 18 mm
long; introvert 8 mm long. Coloration of body
and introvert beige brown with brown small
moles. Tube feet of body wall beige, numer-
ous, small, mostly retracted, uniformly scat-
tered over entire body, very small suckers;
close cover ventrally and around mouth and
anus; tube feet of introvert brownish, darker
proximally, aligned in radial areas in two well-
defined rows, absent in distal 3 mm. Tentacles
20, ten large, ten small, arranged in two rows
(Fig. 1B); outer tentacles, when alive, 35-40
mm long, black tips, middle part shaft whitish
with black moles; when preserved the tentacles
are highly contracted (9 mm). Calcareous ring
short (10 mm), tubular, composite; both radial
and interradial plates broken into a mosaic;
radial plates elongated, with a shallow cen-
tral notch, central part constricted and poste-
rior part divided in two short tails, inter-radial
plates triangular pointed anteriorly, large oval
un-calcified posterior section closed distally
by non-calcified link; one madreporite, well
calcified, stone canal scalloped and attached
to one extension of the interradial plate poste-
rior processes of the calcareous ring (Fig. 1C);
four polian vesicles (Fig. 1C); respiratory trees
extending the length of the coelom.
Ossicles in mid-body wall are large pseu-
dobuttons (40-60 μm) (Fig. 2A), and tables
sparse dorsally (Fig. 2B) table disc outlines
irregularly round, typically four larger central
and some small outer perforations, margin
smooth or spinous, discs up to 42 μm wide;
tables frequently with two pillars, low or
residual, few thick blunt apical spines. Anterior
and posterior body wall areas with small pseu-
dobuttons (15-30 μm) (Fig. 2A). Oral disc with
abundant tables with discs up to 35 μm long,
irregularly oval, many perforations, margins
smooth; spires short, up to 10 μm tall, two pil-
lars, rarely single, one to two median perfora-
tions, short apical spines typically splayed (Fig.
2B). Peri-anal body wall with abundant tables
similar to those in the mid-body wall; some
rods with distal perforations, rods up to 80 μm
long; anal papillae with small multi-layered
anal scales about 45 μm long. Introvert with
pseudobuttons, tables and rosettes (Fig. 2C,
2D, 2E). Tube feet with endplates, up to 40-45
μm diameters, margin thick (Fig. 2F), with
support ossicles as smooth rods with perforated
ends (Fig. 2G). Tentacles of outer ring with
abundant simple slightly curved rods perfo-
rated at the ends and granuliform rod ossicles;
simple rods up to 50 μm long with perforated
ends; granuliform rods up to 55 μm long with
short rod widened distally with many small
perforations created by dendritic branch fusing
(Fig. 2H); abundant well-elaborated rosettes
(Fig. 2I). External tips of the outer tentacles
ring devoid of ossicles, tentacles of inner ring
with rods and rosettes.
Body live color off-white to grey, mottled
with dark brown, sometimes black; tentacle
dendritic branches black, trunks transparent
with black moles; color preserved off white
to pale beige, tube feet beige, tentacles black,
trunks off-beige to black (Fig. 1B).
Description of paratypes: The paratypes
are from 40 to 74 mm long. The ossicles of the
body wall and other parts of the body are simi-
lar to those in the holotype. The calcareous ring
in 40-50 mm TL specimens is small and the
mosaic is very difficult to observe. Preserved
specimens color varies from light to dark grey.
Some specimens have light beige body and
beige to brown tube feet.
Distribution and habitat: Massinium
ocumichoensis sp. nov. have been recorded in
the Mexican Pacific at Balandra Bay, Gulf of
California, Baja California Sur; Isla Cocinas,
Isla Pajarera, Chamela Bay, Jalisco; Faro de
Bucerias, Aquila, Michoacan and Acapulco
Bay, Guerrero, Mexico. Occur in sandy-rocky
substrata, from 1 to 16 m deep.
Ecology: This species lives buried deeply
in sand (10-15 cm deep), under boulders and
309
Revista de Biología Tropical, ISSN electrónico: 2215-2075, Vol. 69(S1): 304-311, March 2021 (Published Mar. 30, 2021)
rocks exposing its tentacle crown only when
feeding. Upon slightest disturbance, even shad-
ing, the tentacle crown and the introvert are
swiftly retracted into the body leaving no trace
of the animal.
Remarks: Massinium ocumichoen-
sis sp. nov. is morphologically related to M.
maculosum Samyn & Thandar, 2003 in having
pseudobuttons in the body wall, and introvert
with tables and rosettes, however mid-dorsal
pseudobuttons are slightly bigger in M. ocu-
michoensis sp. nov. (40-60 μm), but smaller
(14-27 μm), thicker, and mainly not perforated
in M. maculosum (Samyn & Thandar, 2003;
Fig. 2B, 2C). Moreover, M. maculosum doesn’t
Fig. 2. Massinium ocumichoensis sp. nov., holotype ICML-UNAM 10078. A. Pseudobuttons from body wall. B. Tables from
body wall. C. Pseudobuttons from introvert. D. Tables from introvert. E. Rosettes from introvert. F. Endplate of tube feet.
G. Rods from tube feet. H. Simple and granuliform rods from tentacles. I. Rosettes from tentacles.
310
Revista de Biología Tropical, ISSN electrónico: 2215-2075 Vol. 69(S1): 304-311, March 2021 (Published Mar. 30, 2021)
have tables in the body wall as M. ocumichoen-
sis sp. nov., it only has tables in the introvert
tube feet, ventral tube feet and anal papillae
which possess a high spire (50-75 μm) in com-
parison with those in M. ocumichoensis sp. nov.
which are very short (10 μm) or with an almost
absent spire. When alive M. ocumichoensis
sp. nov. has longer outer tentacles (35-40 mm)
than those in M. maculosum (30 mm) (Samyn
& Thandar, 2003).
M. ocumichoensis sp. nov. is distinguished
from other species in the genus by the combi-
nation of morphological characters shown in
the taxonomic key.
Key to the species of Massinium (modified from O’Loughlin et al., 2014)
1. Ossicles present in the mid-body wall .............................................................. 2
- Mid-body wall lacking ossicles ................................................................. 10
2. Mid-body wall with table ossicles of some form present ............................................... 3
- Mid-body wall lacking any form of table ossicles ................................................... 7
3. Mid-body wall ossicles tables only ................................................................ 4
- Mid-body wall ossicles tables and additional ossicle forms ............................................ 5
4. Peri-oral table spires well developed, typically with long, splayed, pointed apical spines ..... M. bonapartum (NW
Australia)
- Peri-oral table spires frequently absent or reduced, few short apical spines .......... M. keesingi (NW Australia)
5. Mid-body with developed table ossicles, pseudobuttons and rounded plates ........... M. dissimilis (Madagascar)
- Mid-body with tables or reduced table ossicles, pseudobuttons and rosettes .............................. 6
6. Tentacles with rosettes only .................................................... M. magnum (Indonesia)
- Tentacles with granuliform rods and rosettes ................. M. ocumichoensis sp. nov. (NE Pacific, Mexico)
7. Mid-body wall with rosettes present ............................................................... 8
- Mid-body wall lacking rosettes .................................................................. 9
8. Introvert table discs irregular with predominantly four central perforations and single ring of smaller outer perfora-
tions; tentacles with rods and rosettes …………….……… ...................... M. maculosum (South Africa)
- Introvert table discs irregular with predominantly four central perforations and up to three rings of smaller outer
perforations; tentacles with elongate rod-rosettes .............................. M. albicans (New Caledonia)
9. Mid-body ossicles predominantly short, thick, irregular, rarely perforate, granuliform rods; tentacles with rosette ossi-
cles only ............................................................. M. granulosum (NE Australia)
- Mid-body ossicles predominantly U-shaped, distally perforate rods; tentacles
with rod ossicles only ............................................... M. arthroprocessum (South Africa)
10. Large and small tube feet uniformly distributed; 4 polian vesicles; peri-anal body
wall with table ossicles ........................................... M. melanieae (Great Australian Bight)
- Tube feet not uniformly distributed; fewer than 4 polian vesicles; peri-anal body wall lacking table ossicles ... 11
11. Tube feet scattered dorsally, more prominent ventrally; peri-oral table discs with up to 20 perforations; tentacles with
rods and rare rosettes ............................................... M. vimsi (Bass Strait, SE Australia)
- Tube feet more concentrated along longitudinal muscles; peri-oral table discs with up to 40 perforations; tentacles
with rare fine rods, lacking rosettes .................................. M. watsonae (SE Tasmania, Australia)
Ethical statement: authors declare that
they all agree with this publication and made
significant contributions; that there is no con-
flict of interest of any kind; and that we fol-
lowed all pertinent ethical and legal procedures
and requirements. All financial sources are
fully and clearly stated in the acknowledge-
ments section. A signed document has been
filed in the journal archives.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
To Berenit Mendoza Garfias (Laborato-
rio de Microscopia Electrónica, Instituto de
Biología [IB], UNAM) for her technical sup-
port with the SEM work, and Susana Guzmán
Gómez (LANABIO-IB, UNAM) for her
photography technical assistance. To Scott
Whitaker (Manager SEM, National Museum
of National History, Smithsonian Institution,
Washington, DC, USA) for his technical assis-
tance when taking the SEM photographs pre-
sented in this work. Thanks to Ma. Esther
Diupotex Chong (ICML, UNAM) for her tech-
nical support including type material in the
Colección Nacional de Equinodermos (ICML,
UNAM). The authors thank Magali Honey,
Quetzalli Hernández, Julio Arriaga, Penélope
311
Revista de Biología Tropical, ISSN electrónico: 2215-2075, Vol. 69(S1): 304-311, March 2021 (Published Mar. 30, 2021)
Ayala, Francisco Borras and Tania Enriquez for
helping in collecting the specimens. We would
like to thank M. G. Lovegrove for his valuable
comments on the manuscript’s English and
scientific content. CACV (scholarship holder
666781) thanks the Consejo Nacional de Cien-
cia y Tecnología (CONACyT) for his doctorate
grant 722925.
RESUMEN
Expansión del género Massinium
(Holothuroidea: Thyonidae) al continente
americano y descripción de una nueva especie
Introducción: El género Massinium incluye 11 espe-
cies, la mayoría del Océano Indo-Pacífico, y no se había
reportado previamente en el continente americano. Obje-
tivo: Presentar el nuevo registro del género Massinium
y describir una nueva especie de este. Métodos: La
recolección de material se realizó mediante buceo a una
profundidad máxima de 9 m. Resultados: Massinium ocu-
michoensis sp. nov. se describe a partir de siete ejemplares
que extiende el rango de distribución del género al Conti-
nente Americano (Guerrero, Michoacán y Jalisco, México).
La nueva especie vive en sustratos arenosos-rocosos, de
2 a 16 m de profundidad. Se distingue de sus especies
congenéricas por una combinación de caracteres morfoló-
gicos: pseudobotones de la zona dorsal media ligeramente
más grandes (40-60 μm) y tablas en la pared del cuerpo.
Se proporciona una clave taxonómica para distinguir las
especies de Massinium. Conclusiones: El rango geográfico
del género Massinium se extiende al Pacífico mexicano con
M. ocumichoensis sp. nov.
Palabras clave: Echinodermata; Dendrochirotida; biodi-
versidad; taxonomía; nuevo registro.
REFERENCES
Cherbonnier, G. (1988). Echinodermes: Holothurides.
Faune de Madagascar (Vol. 70). Paris: ORSTOM.
Grube, A.E. (1840). Actinien, Echinodermen Und Wurmer
Des Adriatischen Und Mittlemeers. Königsberg: J.H.
Bon.
Heding, S.G., & Panning, A. (1954). Phyllophoridae.
Eine bearbeitung der polytentaculaten dendrochiroten
holothurien des zoologischen museums in Kopenha-
gen. Spolia Zoologica Musei Hauniensis, 13, 1-209.
Ludwig, H. (1882). List of the holothurians in the collec-
tion of the Leyden Museum. Notes Leyden Museum,
4(10), 127-137.
O’Loughlin, P.M., Barmos, S., & VandenSpiegel, D.
(2012). The phyllophorid sea cucumbers of southern
Australia (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Dendro-
chirotida: Phyllophoridae). Memoirs of Museum Vic-
toria, 69, 269-308.
O’Loughlin, P.M., Mackenzie, M., & VandenSpiegel, D.
(2014). New dendrochirotid sea cucumbers from nor-
thern Australia (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Den-
drochirotida). Memoirs of Museum Victoria, 75, 5-23.
Panning, A. (1949). Revision of the family Cucumariidae,
Holothurioidea, Dendolrichnota. Zoologische Jahr-
bücher Abteilung für Systematik, Ökologie Geogra-
phie Tiere, 78, 1-111.
Prata, J., & Christoffersen, M.L. (2016). A new species
of Pentamera Ayres, 1852 from the Brazilian coast
(Holothuroidea, Dendrochirotida, Phyllophoridae).
ZooKeys, 634, 1-14.
Samyn, Y., & Thandar, A.S. (2003). Massinium, a new
genus in the family Phyllophoridae (Echinodermata:
Holothuroidea: Dendrochirotida) with description
of a new south-west Indian Ocean species Massi-
nium maculosum. Belgian Journal of Zoology, 133,
132-142.
Samyn, Y., Thandar, A.S., & VandenSpiegel, D. (2010).
Two new species in the phyllophorid genus Massi-
nium (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) with redes-
cription of Massinium magnum. Zootaxa, 2399, 1-19.
Smirnov, A. (2012). System of the Class Holothuroidea.
Paleontological Journal, 46, 793 -832.
Solís-Marín, F.A., Alvarado, J.J., Pérez-Ruzafa, A., Her-
nández, J.C., Morata, A., Marcos, C., … Williams,
S.M. (2013). Appendix. Biogeography and diversity
of Latin American Echinoderms. In J.J. Alvarado-
Barrientos & F.A. Solís-Marín (Eds.), Echinoderm
research and Diversity in Latin America (pp. 543-
654). Berlin and Heidelberg: Springer.
Thandar, A.S. (1989). A new species of a phyllophorid
holothurian from southern Africa. Journal of Zoolo-
gy, 219, 637-644.
Thandar, A.S. (2017). Two new subfamilies, three new
species and a new subspecies of dendrochirotid sea
cucumbers (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea). Zoota-
xa, 4365(4), 410-420.
WoRMS (2020). Massinium Samyn & Thandar, 2003.
Retrieved from http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.
php?p=taxdetails&id=390820 on 2020-07-06