Asterias pleyadella, Lamarck, 1816

Jangoux, Michel, 2021, The asteroid species of Lamarck (Echinodermata: Asteroidea), Zoosystema 43 (13), pp. 213-252 : 239

pleyadella Lamarck, 1816 , Asterias

( Fig. 30 )

Asterias pleyadella Lamarck, 1816: 553 .

Goniodiscaster pleyadella – Clark 1993: 301.

CURRENT STATUS. — Asterias pleyadella is newly synonymized here with Protoreaster sp. (juvenile).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — South Seas • MNHN-IE-2014-124 : 2 syntypes; Baudin expedition (1800-1804); Péron and Lesueur leg . • MHNH; Lesueur drawings collection; ref. 74030; Baudin expedition .

DISTRIBUTION. — Protoreaster species commonly occur throughout the Indo-West Pacific.

REMARK

When discussing Asterias pleyadella status, Perrier (1875: 275) suggested that its representatives are juveniles closer to oreasterids than to goniasterids. He consequently related A. pleyadella to the genus Pentaceros Gray, 1840 . This makes sense, indeed, considering the overall shape of the individuals, their carinate arms and, particularly, the five radially positioned tubercles surrounding the central part of the disc.

I agree with Perrier’s analysis but consider Asterias pleyadella a juvenile Protoreaster , the common oreasterid genus of the Indian Ocean. Lesueur drew (pencil drawings) the best preserved individual of A. pleyadella .

Figures

FIG. 30. — Asterias pleyadella Lamarck, 1816: A, syntypes of the species; B, C, pencil drawings of abactinal surface and profile of the intact specimen (A, MNHN- IE-2014-124; B, C, MHNH, Lesueur collection 74030, details, courtesy of MHNH).