ABSTRACT
AnconaLopez (1962) has describedPhyllophorus palmae andPhyllophorus aparecidae, twoholothuroid species; from specimens collected at SãoFrancisco beach (SãoSebastiãoChannel, State of SãoPaulo,Brazil; 23◦44′56′′ S; 45◦24′34′′ W). However, she never deposited the type specimens. Collections made at the same place in different seasons revealed only two morphotypes of dendrochirotids holothuroids similar to those described in 1962. The first morphotype has ten dendritic tentacles and a calcareous ring composed by ten pieces (the radial ones with two forward projections and the interradial ones with only one); the tube feet have end plates, perforated rods, baskets and buttons; the tentacles have rosettes, perforated rods and baskets; and the body wall possess only baskets. The second morphotype has twenty dendritic tentacles and a calcareous ring composed by ten pieces (the radial ones are quadrangular and the interradial ones oval, with a long forward projection); the tube feet from the introvert and anal regions have end plates, towers with circular, extended or triangular bases, while the tube feet of the medium region of the body have end plates and towers with circular bases; the tentacles have rosettes of different sizes and perforated rods, while the body wall have only towers with circular bases. Therefore, through the analysis of the calcareous structures and of the general anatomy of the specimens studied, we concluded that P. palmae and P. aparecidae should be considered as junior synonyms of Ocnus surinamensis (Semper, 1868) and Duasmodactyla seguroensis (Deichmann, 1930), respectively.
