Iconaster uchelbeluuensis, Mah, 2005

Mah, Christopher, 2005, A phylogeny of Iconaster and Glyphodiscus (Echinodermata, Asteroidea, Valvatida, Goniasteridae) with descriptions of four new species, Zoosystema 27 (1), pp. 137-161 : 153

Iconaster uchelbeluuensis n. sp.

( Fig. 5 D-G)

HOLOTYPE. — Palau. Uchelbeluu (= Augulpelu) Reef, Short Dropoff Bight “Sea Bear Site”, 88 m (290 ft), on rocky/sand terrace, 10.V.1997, 1 wet specimen, R = 3.5 cm, r = 1.9 cm ( CASIZ 118049 ).

PARATYPES. — Palau. Uchelbeluu (= Augulpelu) Reef, Short Dropoff Bight “Sea Bear Site”, 88 m (290 ft), on rocky/sand terrace, 10. V.1997, 4 wet specimens, R = 4.2 cm, r = 1.5 cm ; R = 4.0 cm, r = 1.5 cm; R = 3.7 cm, r = 1.6 cm; R = 3.5 cm, r = 1.6 cm ( CASIZ 118050 ) .

Philippines. MUSORSTOM 3, stn CP 131, 11°37’N, 121°43’E, 120-122 m, 1 dry specimen, R = 2.8 cm, r = 1.4 cm ( MNHN EcAs 11681).

New Caledonia. Nouméa, ORSTOM, Vauban, stn 582, 22°45.3’S, 167°26.8’E, 68 m, 18.VII.1985, 1 dry specimen, R = 2.6 cm, r = 1.2 cm with one damaged arm ( MNHN EcAs 11685).

ETYMOLOGY. — This species is named for Uchelbeluu Reef, where it was initially discovered and later made available to the author. The “ch” is silent, and the descriptor is pronounced “U- el-be-luu ensis”.

Phylogeny of Iconaster and Glyphodiscus ( Echinodermata, Asteroidea)

DISTRIBUTION. — Philippines, Palau, and New Caledonia. 68- 122 m.

DIAGNOSIS. — Species with enlarged accessories at plate corners, but with incomplete ring around abactinal plates. Glassy tubercles absent from abactinal plates.

APOMORPHY LIST. — 1, enlarged corner accessory plates present on radial regions. 2, enlarged corner accessory plates present. 3, complete periphery of abactinal accessories. 9, glassy tubercles on superomarginal plates. 10, glassy tubercles on inferomarginal plates. 12, marginal plate shape, wide. 26, rounded interradial arc.

DESCRIPTION

Stellate disk area. Arms elongate. Interradial angles rounded. Overall body, flat. Arm tips tilting upwards.

Abactinal plates flat, smooth. Surface bare. Glassy tubercles absent on abactinal plates. Abactinals hexagonal to rounded. Primary circlet plates rounded. Abactinal plates heterogeneously shaped at contact between disk and superomarginals. Polygonal plates, paired, enlarged present interradially. Abactinal plates smaller in radial regions, homogeneously sized. Radial regions, swollen. Interradial regions, concave to depressed. Some abactinal plates on arms between superomarginals, elongate, diamond shaped. 30- 60 accessory plates form complete border around interradial abactinal plates. Peripheral accessories rectangular to quadrate, larger around corners on the plates. Abactinal plates with corner plates. Complete borders absent around papular regions. Enlarged accessory plates present on abactinal plate corners, forming triads around papulae ( Fig. 5F ). Accessories absent from lateral sides of radial, papular plates. Enlarged accessory plates absent on primary circlet plates. Madreporite triangular, flanked by three plates.

Figures

FIG. 5. — A-C, Iconaster vanuatuensis n. sp., Vanuatu, holotype, dry (MNHN EcAS 11680); A, abactinal view; B, abactinal plates with glassy granules; C, oral region showing enlarged spines and adambulacral-subambulacral region; D-G, Iconaster uchelbeluuensis n. sp., Philippines, paratype, dry (MNHN EcAs 11681); D, abactinal view; E, glassy granules on superomarginal plate; F, enlarged accessories on corners of abactinal plates; G, adambulacral plates displaying crowded furrow spines and subambulacral spines.