Protankyra brychia ( Verrill, 1885 )

Bohn, Jens Michael, 2006, Crinoidea and Holothuroidea (Echinodermata) of the abyssal Angola Basin — Results of the DIVA­ 1 expedition of FS " Meteor " (Cruise M 48 / 1), Zootaxa 1276, pp. 1-31 : 21

Protankyra brychia ( Verrill, 1885)

( Fig. 12 )

Synapta brychia Verrill, 1885: 539

Synapta abyssicola Théel, 1886a: 14 –15, pl. 1 (fig. 11)

Synapta abyssicola var. pacifica Ludwig, 1894: 174 –178, pl. 18 (figs 13–19) Protankyra brychia . Pawson et al., 2003: 160 –171, figs 1–3, 8–11 [synonymy]

Material. M 48/1­334: 1 specimen, 2 anterior fragments, 2 posterior fragments ( ZSM 20043077). M 48/1­337: 1 posterior fragment ( ZSM 20043079). M 48/1­343: 1 specimen, 2 posterior fragments ( ZSM 20043070). M 48/1­347: 2 specimens, 1 anterior fragment, 3 posterior fragments ( ZSM 20020023), 2 anterior fragments, 1 posterior fragment ( ZSM 20043078). M 48/1­349: 4 specimens, 2 median fragments, 7 posterior fragments ( ZSM 20020021). M 48/1­351: 4 specimens, 8 posterior fragments ( ZSM 20020027), 3 anterior fragments, 1 median fragment ( ZSM 20043080).

Additional Material. 1 specimen ( ZSM 20043139), FS "Polarstern", ANDEEP III, station PS 67/016­5, 41°07.5' S, 9°56.3' E, 4723 m, giant box corer, 25 Jan, 2005. 6 specimens, 2 anterior fragments, 1 posterior fragment ( ZSM 20043138), FS "Polarstern", ANDEEP III, station PS 67/016­11, 41°07.7' S, 9°56.3' E, 4727 m to 41°07.4' S, 9°54.8' E, 4694 m, Agassiz trawl, 26 Jan, 2005.

Remarks. This species has been excellently reviewed by Pawson et al. (2003) including its synonymy, morphology and distribution. A quite characteristic feature of this species are the large calcareous deposits (after Pawson et al. 2003): anchors usually less than 700 long, but sometimes up to 1000, with branched stock and flukes with about six teeth; anchor plates up to 700 long, with 50–70 dentate holes. Pawson and his coauthors are convinced, that the giant pelagic larva, the so called Auricularia nudibranchiata Chun, 1896 is the larva of P. brychia . The specimens reported herein considerably enlarge the known distributional area of the species in the Atlantic Ocean (from about 16°S to 41°S), as well as the depth­range (from about 5000 m to more than 5400 m).

Distribution. ( Fig. 12 ) This species probably has a cosmopolitan distribution, Atlantic Ocean, eastern and western Pacific Ocean, 869–5426 m ( H.L. Clark 1908, 1920, 1924; Deichmann 1940; Gage et al. 1985; Harvey et al. 1988; Hérouard 1923; IFREMER BIOCEAN; Ludwig & Heding 1935; Madsen 1953; Pawson et al. 2003; Perrier 1902; Sibuet 1977; Théel 1886a; herein).

Figures

FIGURE 12. Distribution of Protankyra brychia (Verrill, 1885).