Neomorphaster margaritaceus (Perrier, in Milne-Edwards, 1882 )

Madeira, Patrícia, Kroh, Andreas, Cordeiro, Ricardo, De, António M., Martins, Frias & Ávila, Sérgio P., 2019, The Echinoderm Fauna of the Azores (NE Atlantic Ocean), Zootaxa 4639 (1), pp. 1-231 : 70-71

Neomorphaster margaritaceus (Perrier, in Milne-Edwards, 1882)

Reports for the Azores:

Stichaster talismani $ Perrier, 1885c: 22–24 ; Sladen 1889: 431; Neomorphaster eustichus $ Sladen, 1889: 438–439 , pl. 66, figs. 3–4, pl. 67, figs. 9–10; $ Bell 1892: 87; Koehler 1895c: 444; Calycaster monecus $ Perrier, 1891: 262–264, 1896a: 28–29 , pl. 2, figs. 2, 2a, pl. 3, figs. 3, 3a; Grieg 1932: 44; Gastraster margaritaceus Perrier, in Milne-Edwards, 1882 — $ Perrier 1894: 103–105, pl. 9, fig. 3; Mortensen 1927a: 137–138, fig. 78; Fisher 1930: 207; Neomorphaster talismani Perrier, 1885 c— $ Perrier 1894: 134–137, pl. 10, fig. 2, 1896a: 30; $ Koehler 1909: 107–108, pl. 6, fig.

5, 1921a: 2; Mortensen 1927a: 134–135, fig. 76; Fisher 1930: 212; Neomorphaster parfaiti Koehler, 1895c: 443–444 ; Neomorphaster margaritaceus (Perrier, in Milne-Edwards, 1882) —A.M. Clark & Downey 1992: 406, figs. 61g–h, pl. 99, figs.

A–D; Ringvold 1999: 471; Sneli 1999: 251; García-Diez et al. 2005: 48.

Type locality: Bay of Biscay (44°05’00”N, 7°05’46”W) .

See: Perrier (in Milne-Edwards 1882: 46, as Pedicellaster margaritaceus ); A.M. Clark & Downey (1992). Occurrence: Northeast Atlantic, from Faroe waters ( Sneli 1999) southwards in the Rockall Trough ( Harvey et al. 1988) to the archipelagos of the Azores and Canaries ( Perrier 1894); reported as well to the Faraday Seamount in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge ( Dilman 2008).

Depth: 400–2,102(?5,413) m ( Koehler 1909); AZO: 938– 2,102 m ( Perrier 1894, Koehler 1909).

Habitat: soft substrates, from pteropod ooze, mud to sand ( Perrier 1894, Koehler 1909); also on gravel and hard substrates ( Sneli 1999).

Remarks: Koehler (1909) identified material belonging to Neomorphaster margaritaceus (= Neomorphaster talismani ) collected between the Azores and Canaries by Princesse Alice at a depth of 5,413 m (sta 1787: 31°07’N, 24°03’07’W). Koehler commented on the possibility of mislabelling, since the station was far too deep for the occurrence of this species. Later works considered this depth as an exception but nevertheless valid (e.g., Mortensen 1927 a, Harvey et al. 1988, A.M. Clark & Downey 1992). We are inclined to agree with Koehler (1909) as the second deepest record reported in the bibliography is from 2,102 m (Princesse Alice, sta 624: 38°59’00”N, 28°18’05”W) and most of all other records tend to be well above this 2,000 m limit.