molpadiidæ

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. A family of holothurians, of the order Actinopoda, having neither tube-feet nor papillæ, the posterior end gradually tapering into a tail-like piece, mouth and anus terminal, usually fifteen simple or digitate tentacles, calcareous ring of five radial and five interradial pieces, and a single stone-canal with an internal madreporite. Respiratory trees are present but Cuvierian organs are rare. It contains the genera Molpadia, Eupyrgus, Caudina, Haplodactyla, Trochostoma, and Ankyroderma.