Phyllophorus dubia ( Bedford , 1899 )

Phyllophorus dubia ( Bedford, 1899) View in CoL

Orcula View in CoL (? Phyllophorus View in CoL ) dubia Bedford, 1899:144 View in CoL , pl. XVII, fig. 4. Holotype not located; type locality: Loyalty Islands , Lifu

Remarks. This species was only known from the type, 10.5 cm long with ca. 15 tentacles; it was described as lacking tables, with only rosettes and needles (latter likely contaminating sponge spicules) as ossicles, and with the calcareous ring with fragmented radials and inter-radials. The species was collected in the intertidal. The species was compared with Phyllophorus bedoti and Orcula tenera by Bedford. The species is closest to Phyrella , but differs in lacking tables. It has not been studied since the original description. The holotype has not been located, it is not at the BMNH. Orcula Troschel, 1846 ( non Held, 1837, renamed Ekmania Hansen & McKenzie, 1991 ) is a cucumariid genus, so we tentatively assign this species to Phyllophorus sensu lato for nomenclatural purposes. Specific-level comparisons and generic assignment is not possible without restudy; we consider this to be species inquirenda.