Étude morphométrique de deux morphotypes d’Holothuria (Holothuria) tubulosa (A & B) et d'Holothuria (Roweothuria) arguinensis de la côte de Mostaganem.

Abstract

In this study we have re-evaluated the taxonomic status of some sea cucumber species from the Holothuria genera sampled at a station on the Mostaganem coast. The systematic evaluation was carried out through a more detailed study on the geometric morphology of the ossicles of the two morphotypes of Holothuria (Holothuria) tubulosa (A & B) and Holothuria (Roweothuria) arguinensis. The statistical methods used (discriminant factor analysis and hierarchical classification) confirmed clear and highly significant differences between the individuals of the two morphotypes. According to the results, the morphotype "A" corresponds to the classical Holothuria (Holothuria) tubulosa previously described by Kohler (1921); while the morphotype "B" corresponds to an ecotype species of Holothuria tubulosa. Similarly, our study has focused on the relationship between the morothype A of Holothuria (Holothuira) tubulosa and the invasive species Holothuria (Roweothuria) arguinensis. This last result corroborates with those obtained in the literature.