Plinthaster dentatus ( Perrier 1884 )

Mah, Christopher L., 2020, New species, occurrence records and observations of predation by deep-sea Asteroidea (Echinodermata) from the North Atlantic by NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer, Zootaxa 4766 (2), pp. 201-260 : 232-233

Plinthaster dentatus ( Perrier 1884)

Figure 14D

Comments

Plinthaster dentatus occurs widely on both the eastern and western sides of the Atlantic Ocean as far south as the Gulf of Guinea ( Clark & Downey 1992) and is quite variable across its range ( Halpern 1970, Clark & Downey 1992). H.E.S. Clark (2001) has reported Plinthaster dentatus from the Kermadec Islands, north of New Zealand. Confirmation of this latter account should be reviewed in the context of a global revision of Plinthaster species. Three non-Atlantic species of Plinthaster are known, including Plinthaster ceramoidea Fisher 1906 from the North Pacific ( Fisher 1906, Mah 2015) and Plinthaster lenaigae Mah 2018 and Plinthaster unteidtae Mah 2018 from the western Indian Ocean ( Mah 2018).

Although well represented in museum collections, relatively little data is available for life habits or other aspects of its biology.

Feeding Observation

This species was identified on Madrepora rubble where it appeared to be feeding on encrusting organisms. It was also present in the multi-taxon feeding observation described herein, feeding on the larger of the two geodiid sponges ( Fig. 20 ).

Occurrence: Atlantic: North Carolina, Gulf of Mexico (Florida, Louisiana, Texas), Bahamas, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Anguilla, Nicaragua, Columbia, Gudeloupe, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Honduras, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico, Panama, to northern Brazil. Rockall Trough, Newfoundland to Gulf of Guinea, Azores, Canary and Cape Verde Islands, Faroe Islands. South Pacific: Kermadec Islands(?). 229–2910 m.

Image Observed

Stetson Mesa Seep, 30.436107, -79.582, 814 m

EX1903L2_IMG_20190627T153648Z_ROVHD.jpg

Figures

FIGURE 14. Peltaster and Plinthaster A. Peltaster placenta, sponge predation. Stetson Mesa “Seep”, 738 m B. Peltaster placenta, sponge predation. Bajo de Sico, Puerto Rico, 310 m C. Peltaster placenta, glass sponge predation, Stetson Mesa “Seep”, 778 m D. Plinthaster dentatus feeding on encrusted coral rubble. Stetson Mesa Seep, 814 m

FIGURE 20. Velatida. A. Remaster palmatus. Stetson Mesa Terrace, 445.4 m. B. Large specimen (30.0 cm total diameter) of Pythonaster atlantidis, NW Florida Escarpment, 1970 m. C and D. Pythonaster atlantidis sponge predation. DeSoto Canyon, 2604 m, showing dorsal and oral views (C&D respectively). E. Feeding on hexactinellid sponge. Jaguey Spur, off Puerto Rico, 2668 m. Feeding.