Linckia columbiae Gray, 1840

Mah, Christopher L., 2021, The East Pacific / South Pacific Boundary: New taxa and occurrences from Rapa Nui (Easter Island), New Caledonia and adjacent regions, Zootaxa 4980 (3), pp. 401-450 : 426

Linckia columbiae Gray, 1840

Figure 11A–F

Gray 1840: 285; Fisher 1911: 242; Ziesenhenne 1937: 216; Maluf 1988: 37, 120 (as L. columbiae ).

Müller & Troschel 1842: 33; Dujardin & Hupe 1862: 364 (as Ophidiaster ).

Comments. This synonymy extends the occurrence of this species westward from the coast along Baja and Central America to Malpelo Island at 36.5–48.7 m depth.

Occurrence. Southern California, Baja California, to northern Peru, westward to Malpelo Island. intertidal to 156 m (according to Maluf 1988).

Synonymy of Tamaria stria Downey. Examination of the holotype of Tamaria stria Downey (1971) revealed that its morphology was identical and is a synonym of Linckia columbiae Gray, 1840 . Tamaria is characterized by six linear papular rows. The holotype and paratypes of Tamaria stria show four distinct rows with the top two rows of plates showing consistently irregularly developed patterns along the central or carinal region. The arrangement and morphology of the furrow and subambulacral spines are identical, with specimens showing distinctly thickened and round subambulacrals in direct contact with furrow spines showing oval to round shape in cross-section and with a third irregular to weak developed series of enlarged granules outside but located near but away from the subambulacrals.

Material examined. Holotype ( Tamaria stria ): USNM E11838. Isla de Malpelo, Colombia, 36.5–48.7 m. Coll. C. Birkeland, March 1972. 1 dry spec. R =4.4, r=0.8.

Paratypes ( Tamaria stria ): USNM E12431. Isla de Malpelo , on rubble near base of vertical rock wall, Colombia, 36.5–48.7 m. Coll. C. Birkeland, March 1972. 1 dry spec. R =2.9, r= 0.4 cm. USNM E11839. Isla de Malpelo , Colombia, 36.5–48.7 m. Coll. C. Birkeland, March 1972. 3 dry spec. R =4.4, r= 0.8 cm; R =3.8, r=0.5; R =2.3, r=0.4.

Figures

FIGURE 11. Linckia columbiae synonymy. Tamaria stria Holotype E11838 (Malpelo Island, Columbia): A. Abactinal surface. Scale bar equals 0.5 cm. B. Actinal surface. Scale bar equals 0.5 cm. E. Close-up of abactinal plates. Scale bar equals 0.5 cm. Linckia columbiae USNM 32419: C. Abactinal surface. Scale bar equals 0.5 cm. D. Actinal surface Scale bar equals 0.5 cm. F. Close-up of abactinal plates. Scale bar equals 0.5 cm.