Poecillastra compressa var. parvistellata Topsent, 1913

(Figs. 6F–G)

Poecillastra compressa var. parvistellata Topsent, 1913: 611, pl. IV figs. 1–2; Cárdenas & Rapp 2012: 28, table 4.

The variety was erected by Topsent for four fragments of a single specimen, collected by the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition, Stat. 461, off Gough Island, South Atlantic, 40.3333°S 9.9417°W, depth 183 m (holotype Royal Scottish Museum, RSM.1921.143.1394). It resembles the typical variety Ecionemia compressa Bowerbank (1866: 55, from Shetland, approximate coordinates 60.4667°N 1.0°W, depth 201m, holotype BMNH BK353-354) and many other Poecillastra compressa specimens from the North Atlantic in shape and spicules, but the plesiasters of the present variety are smaller (and rare), 16–13 µm vs. 52 µm in the typical variety, and the spiraster/metasters are also small, 10–13 vs. 20 µm. Cárdenas & Rapp (2012) were not certain of the status of the var. parvistellata, but in view of the allopatric occurrence I propose to elevate the variety to subspecies, to be named Poecillastra compressa subsp. parvistellata Topsent, 1913 .