Molpadiodemas pustulosus O'Loughlin & Ahearn 2005, comb. nov.

Molpadiodemas pustulosus (Sluiter, 1901) comb. nov.

Pseudostichopus pustulosus Sluiter, 1901a: 16–17.— Sluiter, 1901b:

53–55, pl. 4 fig. 6, pl. 9 fig. 1.

Material examined. Lectotype (designated here). Indonesia, Halmahera Sea, 0°45'S, 128°40'E, 827 m, Siboga, stn 145, ZMA V.Ech. H1012. Paralectotypes. Lectotype locality and date, ZMA V.Ech. H1011 (1); Ceram Sea, 3°38'S, 131°26'E, 924 m, Siboga stn 170, ZMA V.Ech. H1006 (1).

Description. Up to 115 mm long; some globigerines attached; distinct ventrolateral margin with series of nipple-like pustules, most conspicuous posteriorly and around anus on lobes of pygal furrow, some pustules lobed; body covered with elongate tube feet, present but not extended mid-ventrally; tube feet clustered in tufts on posterior pustules; gonad tubules short, fat, multiple-branching; ossicles in tentacles only; tentacle ossicles non-spinous lace mesh, comprising thin branched joined rods, not perforated plates.

Distribution. Indonesia, Halmahera and Ceram Seas, 827– 924 m.

Remarks. During an examination (Apr 2002) of the holothurian types in the University of Amsterdam, four specimens were found to be registered as syntypes of P. pustulosus. This was in accord with the catalogue published by Jangoux (1991). But only three syntypes were recorded by Sluiter (1901a). One of the four, registered and recorded by Jangoux (1991) as ZMA 1303 from Station 170, was not conspecific with the other syntypes. Sluiter (1901) reported, and Jangoux (1991) listed, two syntypes of P. trachus, but the syntype registered as ZMA E2496/2 was missing from the collection. The extraneous syntype of P. pustulosus (ZMA 1303) was conspecific with the syntype of P. trachus, and is now registered as a P. trachus type (ZMA V.Ech.H2496/2, following the catalogue registration number of Jangoux, 1991). A lectotype of P. pustulosus is designated above.

The designated lectotype is the specimen figured by Sluiter (1901b), and does not show all of the characters referred to here in the description. The syntype showing the diagnostic characters most completely, such as the tube feet, is the smallest (ZMA V.Ech. H1006; 63 mm long).

Rowe (1995) judged that Pseudostichopus propinquus Fisher, 1907 and Pseudostichopus nudus Ohshima, 1915 were junior synonyms of P. pustulosus. M. pustulosus has the diagnostic characters of Molpadiodemas (above), not Pseudostichopus (below). Both synonymies are rejected on the grounds of the relevant generic diagnostic characters. P. propinquus and P. nudus are discussed below. Rowe (1995) identified material from off Newcastle on the eastern Australian slope as Pseudostichopus pustulosus. All Australian slope material has been examined and none determined as P. pustulosus. Material from off Newcastle (AM J16749) was determined as P. mollis (below).

Amongst Molpadiodemas species, the distinguishing characters of M. pustulosus are: conspicuous nipple-like pustules on the ventrolateral margin; tufts of tube feet on the pustules posteriorly; lace-mesh tentacle ossicles.