Holothuroidea of the Charlie Gibbs Fracture Zone area, northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Holothurians are among the most species-rich taxa in the megabenthos on the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge at depths of 2200–3700 m. Extensive new collections of 32 holothurian species were made in 2007–2010 in the Charlie Gibbs Fracture Zone area as part of the ECOMAR project. New material includes samples taken using a trawl and the ROV Isis. Samples and in situ observations from the ROV were of particular value because the morphological details of a number of holothurian species could be clarified. Many of these species are gelatinous and fragile and were damaged in trawls. Three species of elasipodid holothurians are described as new to science. An annotated check-list of all species of deep-sea holothurians collected in the Charlie Gibbs Fracture Zone area is provided. The checklist includes synonyms, distribution data and morphological descriptions as well as photographs taken in situ and in vivo. Ecological remarks are given for some species.