General Description

Body stout, rounded dorsally with short upturned oral and anal ends and 5 anal teeth; distinct oval sole, wider than the body with upturned margin; body dark grey, created by brown flecking; 10 dendritic tentacles, ventral 2 smaller; thin, calcareous, crystalline body wall with small tube feet scattered dorsally and laterally and often covered with grit; ventral sole with radial tube feet (peripheral and mid-ventral); body wall ossicles multi-layered knobbed, perforated plates (non-imbricating), knobbed cups, and lumpy or smooth buttons; sole ossicles cups, elongate plates, buttons; up to ~20 mm long (tentacles extended), 7 mm wide, and 6 mm high. Apsolidium handrecki is distinguished from Apsolidium densum by colour (dark grey not white), thinner body wall, ventral sole that is wider than the width of the body, and various ossicle characteristics.

Biology

The sexes of Apsolidium handrecki are known to be separate and a gonopore can be seen between tentacle trunks. Its crystalline body wall is often covered with grit and detritus, held in place by a covering of small dorsal and lateral tube feet. Apsolidium handrecki uses its ventral tube feet to adhere to the tops and sides of rocks in shallow water, where it feeds by extending branching, tree-like tentacles into the surrounding water to collect organic particles.

Distribution

Southern Australia, including Victoria and SW Western Australia

Habitat

Reefs/Coastal shores. Under surface of rocks, often covered with detritus. From 0-3 m depth.

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