Evoplosoma voratus Mah et al. 2010

Mah, Christopher L., 2023, New Goniasteridae and in situ observations significant to deep-sea coral predation, Memoirs of Museum Victoria 83, pp. 1-35 : 24

Evoplosoma voratus Mah et al. 2010

Figure 11a–b, 12 a-b

Mah et al., 2010: 279.

Diagnosis. Body stellate (R/r=2.0–3.11), arms, elongate, slender. Interradial arcs weakly curved. Abactinal spines (conical and pointed) absent, although conical tubercles (short and rounded) present on a minority of plates. A thick, pulpy dermis on the abactinal surface, invested with granules. Paddle-shaped pedicellariae present, but on a minority of plates. Marginal plates bare with a single conical spine, mostly on proximal plates with 4–6 short spinelets, spines attenuating distally. Superomarginals, approximately 44–45 per interradius (arm tip to arm tip). Actinal intermediate region relatively small with only 2–4 full chevron series, limited to disk, few to no actinal plates on arms. Surface covered by granules, distalmost plates with short, conical spines. Furrow spines, 6 or 7 (as few as four in the holotype), roughly comparable to two or three furrow spines in thickness, with a single large subambulacral spine and a single pedicellaria, paddle-like, large, comparable in size to the subambulacral spine.

Comments. There are nearly no morphological differences between the holotype and WAM Z100665 , although the distance between collection localities is over 14,000 km (Davidson Seamount off the coast of California versus Ningaloo Canyons , off the northwest coast of Western Australia) .

Ecological comments. In situ observations of this individual prior to its collection show it adjacent to a solitary colony of an untouched “bamboo coral” (family Isididae ), known to be a primary prey item for other observed species in Evoplosoma ( Fig. 12 a-b). In other observed instances from the tropical North Pacific, predation by Evoplosoma results in the removal of tissue from the stalk.

Occurrence . Davidson Seamount, North Pacific , 2670 m . Ningaloo Canyons , Western Australia, 2913.5 m .

Material examined. WAM Z 100665 Ningaloo , Western Australia. 21.9016° S, 112.904° E, 2913.5 m. Coll.Wilson N, Rouse,G., Kirkendale, L., Ritchie, J. aboard RV Falkor, 17 March 2020. 1 wet spec , R=6.8, r=2.3.