Calliderma emma Gray, 1847

Mah, Christopher L., 2018, New genera, species and occurrence records of Goniasteridae (Asteroidea; Echinodermata) from the Indian Ocean, Zootaxa 4539 (1), pp. 1-116 : 29

Calliderma emma Gray, 1847

Figure 9 A–E

Gray 1847: 193; 1866: 6, pl. 15; Perrier 1894: 337; Liao & Clark 1995: 93; Mah 2015: 221. (as Calliderma emma )

Perrier 1875: 226 (1876: 41) [as Pentagonaster (Calliderma) emma ]

Fisher 1906: 1058; Chave & Malahoff 1998: 86; Liao & Clark 1995: 93; Mah 1998: 67 (as Calliderma spectabilis )

Diagnosis. Body stellate (R/r=2.0–2.5), disk broad, arms triangular, tapering abruptly to tip, interradial arcs broadly curved. Abactinal surface covered by coarse granules, large conical spines present over radial regions, absent interradially. Marginal plates wide, forming distinctly angular abactinal-lateral and actinal-lateral edges with relatively flattened lateral edge. Actinal surface covered by granules, most plates with prominent conical spines approximately one per plate. Furrow spines 10–13 in Madagascar specimens, 12–15 in Hawaiian specimens.

Comments. Liao and Clark (1995) recognized that Calliderma spectabilis Fisher 1906 differed from Calliderma emma Gray 1847 by a single character, specifically the presence/absence of easily removed spination on the radial regions of the abactinal surface ( Fig. 9B ). Observations of specimens herein and from other localities confirms their conclusion and thus Fisher’s Calliderma spectabilis Fisher 1906 is referred to the synonymy of Calliderma emma Gray 1847 .

Occurrence of Calliderma emma is widespread, from Hawaii to New Caledonia and Madagascar. The Madagascar specimen (IE-2007-3987) is smaller (R=7.4), but mostly consistent with Fisher’s (1906) description of Calliderma spectabilis . Furrow spines in the Madagascar specimen number 10 to 13 ( Fig. 9E ) whereas those from Hawaii number 12 to 15. This specimen also shows an identical number (n=3) of subambulacral spines, two of which are enlarged as per Fisher’s descriptions. In situ observations of Calliderma from the Hawaiian Islands region are found in Mah (2015).

One morphological character difference in the Madagascar specimen is the presence of blunt, cone-like tubercles rather than the sharp spines observed in the Pacific individuals. This appears likely size related but further specimens may demonstrate this as a character of a separate species.

Occurrence. Hawaiian Islands, China Sea, Gulf of Carpentaria, Northwestern Australia, Timor Sea, Philippines, New Caledonia, east coast of South Africa, Madagascar, 138–407 m

Material Examined. Madagascar. IE-2007-3987 Southeast Pointe Barrow , Madagascar 25°28’S 44°25’E, 203– 210 m. Col. Atimo Vatae CP 3584, 1 wet spec. R=7.4, r=2.5; New Caledonia. IE-2013-6905 , 21° 43´S, 166° 35.71´E, 315– 327 m. Coll. P. Bouchet & B. Richer de Forges , 19 March 1993 on N/O ‘Alis’, BATHUS 1, CP711, 1 dry spec. R=11.1, r=5.0 ). IE-2013-6726 , E. coast, New Caledonia , 21° 44.98´S 166° 36.82´E, 253– 266 m. Coll. B. Richer de Forges 19 March 1994 on N/O 'Alis' HALIPRO 1, CP852, 1 dry spec., R=12.8 r=5.9 . Philippines. IE- 2013-6725 , Phillipines. 379–407 m, MUSORSTOM 1 42. 1 dry spec. R=13.6, r=6.3 (arm tips broken. Taiwan. IE- 2013-12293 . Continental slope, China Sea, 20°2’58.5132’N, 114° 10’48.99’E, 265– 300m. Coll. Chen Wei-jen, NanHai 2014. CP 4115. 1 Nov. 2014. 1 wet spec. R=10.2 r=4.6

Figures

FIGURE 9. Calliderma emma Specimen IE-2007-3987. R=7.4, r=2.5 cm. A. Abactinal surface. Scale bar=2.0 cm. B. Closeup of spines on radial regions. Scale bar=1.0 cm. C. Spination, ornamentation on superomarginal plates. Scale bar=1.0 cm. D. Actinal surface. Scale bar=2.0 cm. E. Closeup of actinal surface, furrow spines, adambulacral region. Scale bar=1.0 cm.