Circeaster pullus Mah, 2006

Mah, Christopher L., 2024, New genera and species of deep-sea Goniasteridae (Asteroidea) from the North Pacific, Zootaxa 5543 (4), pp. 451-500 : 468-469

Circeaster pullus Mah, 2006

FIGURE 15A–F , 16A–D

Circeaster pullus , 2006: 940, Figs. 6D–F , 8 .

Diagnosis

R/r = 2.0–3.0. Abactinal arm plates bare, enlarged, at base of arm. Round, hemispherical granules on disk, marginal plate surface. Superomarginal plates abutted over arm midline. Enlarged subambulacral spine abradial to adambulacral pedicellaria, adjacent to actinal intermediate region. Bivalve pedicellariae present on actinal surface, adambulacral plates.

Comments

In situ observations of what was identified as C. pullus were made based on the identification of the abutted superomarginal plates along the arm. None of the video observations showed the furrow spines which was another of the primary characters which distinguished this species from C. sandrae .

Two color variants were observed that were consistent with the morphological definition of Circeaster pullus , one a straw color with white highlights, with shorter, broader arms that was observed at relatively shallow depth (424–520 m) ( Fig. 15A, B, E ; 16A–C ) and a dark orange variant with more elongate arms present in deeper waters (1605–2489 m) ( Fig. 15C, D, F ; 16D ). The type series for C. pullus was collected from depths more consistent with the shallow, yellow variant. Full data on videos is listed in the Appendix.

Occurrence

Johnston Atoll, North Pacific, 467–2489 m. South Pacific Ocean, Tonga, New Caledonia, Marquesas Islands. 705–1000 m.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Cladaster kiko n. sp. MCZ 162797. Holotype. A. Abactinal B. In situ observation. C. Abactinal-lateral view. D. Abactinal-lateral view showing abactinal and superomarginal surface. E. Actinal F. Adambulacral plates showing large furrow spines. Scale bar=10.0 mm, A, E; Scale bar=5.0 mm: C, D; Scale bar=1.0 mm: F.

FIGURE 8. Pillsburiaster hyugaensis Mah & Fujita n. sp. NSMT E-11392. Holotype, A. Abactinal B. Abactinal-lateral view. C. Abactinal Closeup showing coarse granules. D.Abactinal-lateral view showing surface superomarginal plates. E. Actinal. F. Adambulacral plates showing furrow and subambulacral spination. Scale bar=20 mm, A, E; Scale bar=3.0: B, D; Scale bar=2.0 mm: C, F.

FIGURE 15. Circeaster pullus Mah 2006 feeding observations. A–B. Feeding on Narella (Chrysogorgiidae). Santa Rosa North 467.3 m, Lasers on B are 10 cm apart, others lacking scale. C. On bamboo coral, Lone Cone, 1543.8 m. D. On bamboo coral, Unamed Seamount, 1605.8 m E. Johnson Atoll site 1, 520 m. F. feeding on bamboo coral, Johnston Atoll region, 1582 m.

FIGURE 16. Circeaster pullus Mah 2006 feeding observations. A.Feeding on Isididae, Johnston Atoll, 492 m. B–C. Feeding on Isididae, Santa Rosa North site, 467.3 m. Lasers are 10 cm apart. D. Feeding? on stoloniferous soft corals, Sibelius Seamount, 2489 m. Lasers=10cm apart.