Atheraster Mah 2022

Mah, Christopher L., 2024, Two New Taxa of Goniasteridae (Asteroidea, Echinodermata) and Noteworthy Observations of Deep-Sea Asteroidea by the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer in the North and Tropical Atlantic, Zootaxa 5432 (4), pp. 461-508 : 473

Atheraster Mah 2022

Diagnosis

Body strongly stellate (R/r=3.8–4.0) with arms, elongate and tapering. Abactinal arm plates twice to three times larger than those on the disc. Sharp, thorn-like spines, variably well developed to incipient, present on all superomarginal and inferomarginal plates, forming regular series. Two of the known species with multiple spines present on interradial superomarginal and inferomarginal plates which become single, prominent spines distally. Granules with pointed tips. Pedicellariae paddle-like. Furrow spine number, 5–15 in known species.

Comments

A genus described to accommodate Circeaster species, such as Circeaster arandae Mah 2006 but displaying prominent spines on the marginal plates ( Fig. 5 ). Two species, including Atheraster arandae ( Mah, 2006) and Atheraster symphonia Mah 2022 from the Indo-Pacific are known. Both species have been observed feeding on octocoral colonies ( Mah 2022).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Atheraster sp. undescribed. Hopscotch seamount, North Atlantic, 2501 m.