Holothuria (Lessonothuria)

Deichmann, 1958

6 species

Small to 12 cm spindle shaped forms resembling Brandtothuria arenicola, with small terminal tentacles and a few feet or papilliform feet in indistinct rows. Spicules stout tables with disc round, edge smooth to dentate, often incomplete; spire low with 8 to 12 teeth, often reduced. Buttons in inner layer, numerous, often distinctly in heaps, varying from regular, with 6-8 holes, to incomplete often twisted forms, occasionally with one or two knobs. Feet end plate, smaller in dorsal ones, and straight to curved supporting rods with few holes in expanded ends or transformed into elongate buttons. (Deichmann, 1958)

Tentacles 17-20; pedicels and papillae irregularly arranged ventrally and dorsally respectively, a collar or papillae evident around the base of the tentacles, anal papillae usually apparent; body wall soft, not very thick, usually 1 (1-3) mm; body almost cylindrical but with more or less distinct flattened sole; size small to moderate, up to 150 mm; calcareous ring fairly stout, radial plates about twice as long as the interradial plates; spicules consisting of clumsy tables, the spire low to moderate and usually terminating in a ring or cluster of spines, disc well developed and spinose rarely some tables with smooth rimmed disc also present, rim often turned up to give a cup and saucer appearance to the table in lateral view pseudo buttons abundant, usually smooth sometimes spinose, usually irregular in outline and often reduced to a single row of three to four holes, occasionally quite regular buttons are present, with three pairs of holes. (Rowe, 1969)