Sclerodactyla briareus Lesueur 1824

Sclerodactyla briareus (Lesueur, 1824)

Figure 16

Holothuria briareus Lesueur, 1824: 161.

Thyone briareus.— Deichmann 1930: 65, pl.13 figs.5–7. Sclerodactyla briareus.— Hendler et al, 1995: 269, figs 148, 180, D, E, F.

Material examined. USNM 3056, S.C., Charleston Bay, 20. (no date given) USNM E02509, N.C., Cape Lookout, R/V Fish Hawk, 1891, 3. USNM E17186, Florida, 15. USNM E19314, N.C., 28°55’12”N, 80°47’54”W, R/V Oregon II Sta 45091, Feb. 9, 1977,12.8m, 5. USNM E19323, N.C., 33°35'N, 78°05'W, R/V Pierce Sta 1C, Nov. 16, 1977,18m. USNM E22571, Georgia, 31° 31'N, 81°01'W, R/V Pelican, Sta 197-1, March 15, 1940, 11m. USNM E22619, Georgia, St. Simon Sound, Sta CB29-64, Sept. 10, 1929. USNM E2526, N.C., Middle Sound, Near Wilmington,year 1880, 2. USNM E2509, N.C.,Cape Lookout, R/V Fish Hawk, 3. USNM E31612, N.C.,Cape Hatteras, 1982, 5. USNM E34101, Florida, 28°50’06”N, 80°44’12”W, R/V Delaware II, Sta 0 70, May 21, 1984, 14.6m, 2. USNM E46902, N.C., Surf City, Topsail Island, NE Wilmington, July 17, 1996. USNM E34099, Florida, 28°10’30”N, 80°32’36”W, R/V Delaware II, Sta 0 18, May 19 1984, 16.5m. USNM E34100, Florida, 59 Nautical Miles E, 30°20'N, 80°14'W, R/V Delaware II, Sta 131, April 27, 1983, 64– 66m. USNM E34098, 29°09’ 54”N, 80°57’30”W, R/V Delaware II, Sta 0 72, May 21, 1984, 14.6m, 16. USNM E39036, Florida, NW of Cape Canaveral, 28°55’12”N, 80°47’54”W, R/V Oregon II Sta 45091, March 19, 1987,12.8m, 5. NMNH, 27 lots. SERTC 2098, Key Biscane, Cape Florida, FL, coll. GML Staff, December 14, 1967. SERTC 2454, off Little St Simons Island, GA, 31°13.65'N, 81°14.00 'W, 7 m, coll. MRRI Staff, April 6 2005. SERTC 2455, off St Simons Island, GA, 31°10.99'N, 81°16.03 'W, 7 m, coll. MRRI Staff, April 6 2005. SERTC 2456, Port Royal Sound, SC, 32°15.12'N, 80°40.72'W, coll. MRRI Staff, October 1987. SERTC 2457, off Fernandina Beach, FL, 30°39.88'N, 81°23.60'W, 10 m, coll. MRRI Staff, July 24 2003. SERTC 2206, southwest end of Folly Island, SC, 32°38.3'N, 79°58.5'W, 0.9 m, coll. GML Staff, April 8 1972. SERTC 2209, Isle of Palms, SC, coll. GML Staff, July 1 1962. SERTC 2212, Dewee’s Inlet, north end of Isle of Palms, SC, coll. GML Staff, June 30 1970. DML 770, Off Beaufort Inlet, NC, June 13, 1968, 8 m. DML 2091, 34 º24'N, 75º49'W, June 28, 1965, 200 m.

Diagnosis. Medium-size, burrowing form, up to 120mm long. Color green or brown, to almost black. Body barrel-shaped, tapering only at the anterior and posterior extremes. Feet numerous, hairlike, scattered over entire body. Body wall thin, with ossicles consisting of tables (60–80 μm diameter) with 4-pillared spire; no buttons.

Distribution. Nova Scotia to E and W FL, AL, LA, MS, TX, Venezuela.

Habitat. Soft muddy substrates, often associated with seagrass beds. 0– 66 m.

Remarks. Hendler et al. (1995) include extensive notes on the biology of this species.