Asteronyx loveni Müller & Troschel, 1842

Figs 2, 3A–B, 4A, D–E

Asteronyx loveni Müller & Troschel, 1842: 119, pl. X figs 3–5.

Ophiuropsis lymani Studer, 1884: 55, pl. V figs 12a–d.

Asteronyx locardi Koehler, 1895: 470–471, fig. 10

Asteronyx loveni – Clark 1923: 314–315. — Mortensen 1927: 158–160, fig. 90 — Paterson, 1985: 13–15, fig. 15.

Asteronyx locardi – Koehler 1896: 88–89, pl. 3 fig. 25.

Material examined

MAURITANIA • 1 spec., 25.22 mm dd; 19°34′14′′– 19°31′34′′ N, 17°31′44′′– 17°30′21′′ W; depth 1689– 1628 m; 23 Nov. 2007; Maurit-1107 exped.; stn MU22; Maurit-1107-04528; LZM-UV • 12 specs, 6.08–21.71 mm dd; 19°25′29″– 19°22′44″ N, 17°33′17″– 17°32′11″ W; depth 1778–1811 m; 26 Nov. 2007; Maurit-1107 exped.; stn MU31; Maurit-1107-05231; LZM-UV • 10 specs, 6.83–19.28 mm dd; 19°55′41″– 19°53′05″ N, 18°01′07″– 18°02′01″ W; depth 1808–1862 m; 21 Nov. 2008; Maurit-0811 exped.;stn MU92; Maurit-0811-03931; LZM-UV • 4 specs, 64.90– 22.98 mm dd; 19°51′02″– 19°49′33″ N, 17°55′33″– 17°53′00″ W; depth 1740–1769 m; 21 Nov. 2008; Maurit-0811 exped.; stn MU93; Maurit-0811-03725; LZM-UV • 2 specs, 9.60–12.56 mm dd; 19°35′15″– 19°32′43″ N, 17°35′13″– 17°33′37″ W; depth 1720–1734 m; 21 Nov. 2008; Maurit-0811 exped.; stn MU94; Maurit-0811-03928; LZM-UV • 1 spec., 11.07 mm dd; 19°59′28″– 19°59′01″ N, 17°57′28″– 17°59′07″ W; depth 1746–1749 m; 22 Nov. 2009; Maurit-0911 exped.; stn MU193; Maurit-0911-03154; LZM-UV • 1 spec., 25.74 mm dd; 16°08′44″– 16°11′14″ N, 17°10′08″– 17°08′40″ W; depth 1595 m; 6 Dec. 2010; Maurit-1011 exped.; stn MU274; Maurit-1011-02982; LZM-UV .

WESTERN SAHARA • 1 spec., 11.01 mm dd; 21°33′13″– 21°36′08″ N, 18°07′26″– 18°07′09″ W; depth 1860– 1820 m; 17 Nov. 2006; Maroc-0611 exped.; stn MO198; Maroc-0611-16135; LZM-UV • 1 spec., 5.81 mm dd; 22°59′13″– 22°56′19″ N, 17°37′30″– 17°38′12″ W; depth 1562–1577 m; 26 Nov. 2006; Maroc-0611 exped.; stn MO230; Maroc-0611-16155; LZM-UV.

GUINEA BISSAU • 2 specs, 13.24–18.81 mm dd; 10°01′18″– 10°00′24″ N, 17°24′56″– 17°25′05″ W; depth 902–908 m; 29 Oct. 2008; Bissau-0810 exp.; stn BS166; Bissau-0811-06529; LZM-UV .

Distribution

Asteronyx loveni Müller & Troschel, 1842 is a circumglobal species, widely distributed across the three major oceans (Indian, Pacific and Atlantic). In the Atlantic Ocean, it has been recorded on both sides: in the West Atlantic, from North USA to West Indies (Hernández-Herrejón et al. 2008), and in the East Atlantic, from Norway (Döderlein 1911) to South Africa (Mortensen 1933). It also has a wide bathymetric distribution, ranging from 100 to 4721 m (Smirnov et al. 2014).

We collected the species at eleven stations from Western Sahara, Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau waters, between 902 and 1862 m.

Remarks

This is a deep-sea-water species generally associated with gorgonians and pennatularians (Mortensen 1927). Our specimens were always associated with pennatularians Distichoptilum gracile Verrill, 1882 and Anthoptilum murrayi Kölliker, 1880 . Living colour of the species is cream or pinkish orange, more intense in the central part of the disc. The innermost arm spine much larger than the other spines and a hooked arm spine at the tip of the arm are the most distinctive characteristic for this species.