Lophaster stellans Sladen, 1889

Mah, Christopher L., 2023, New Genera, Species, and observations on the biology of Antarctic Valvatida (Asteroidea), Zootaxa 5310 (1), pp. 1-88 : 54

Lophaster stellans Sladen, 1889

FIGURE 17A–F , 25C

Lophaster stellans Sladen, 1889: 460 ; Ludwig 1903: 27; Koehler 1920: 151; Fisher 1940: 170; A.M. Clark 1962: 50; Bernasconi 1966: 165; 1973b: 310; Clark & Downey 1992: 300

Diagnosis

Species showing paxillar spinelets with three or more prongs and marginal paxillae with equal sized spinelets.

Comments

This species has not historically been recorded from this far north or from the South Pacific region, with most species recorded from the region adjacent to the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Pacific Patagonian region. However A.M. Clark (1962) does record this species from Knox Land in the Victoria Quadrant.

Danis et al. (2012) documented this species from 4752 m but without description or imagery, verification of this record was not possible.

Occurrence

Patagonia , the Falkland Island ( Malvinas), Bellingshausen Sea , Knox Land in the Victoria Quadrant, 25−463 m.

South Pacific. West of Antipodes 476−540 m. Chile, Strait of Magellan region .

Material Examined

USNM E53600 Off Chile, South Pacific Ocean. −33.37, −71.9, 260−280 m. Coll. L.W. Knapp aboard R/V Anton Bruun, 31 July 1966. 2 dry specs. R=2.6 r=0.5, R=2.3 r=0.4.

USNM 1087339 , Cape Froward, Strait of Magellan , Chile, South Pacific, −53.6567, −70.9183, 18−27 m. Coll. U.S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, 26 April 1970. 1 dry specs. R=3.8 r=1.1.

USNM 1091336 , Valdivia, De la Araucania, Chile, South Pacific. −39.1, −73.55, 73 m. Coll. Smithsonian Sorting center, 9 May 1965. 1 dry spec. R=0.8 r=0.3.

USNM 1120474 , West mouth of Strait of Magellan , Chile, South Pacific Ocean. −52.717, −74.525, 188−247 m. Coll. USAP, Smithsonian Sorting center, 6 Jan. 1966. R=3.6 r=1.0, R=3.5 r=1.0, R=4.2 r=1.0, R=3.5 r=1.0, R=2.2 r=0.7, R=1.6 r=0.4, R=2.9 r=0.9, R=3.8 r=0.9, R=2.4 r=0.5, R=2.8 r=0.8, R=1.8 r=0.5, R=2.6 r=0.5, R=4.3 r=1.1, R=3.6 r=0.8, R=3.5 r=0.8, R=3.6, R=4.6 r=0.9, R=3.6 r=1.0, R=4.3 r=1.3, R=4.0 r=1.1, R=4.5 r=1.1, R=3.7 r=0.9, R=4.0 r=1.3, R=3.5 r=0.8, R=3.6 r=1.0, R=2.9 r=1.0 R=3.5 r=0.8, R=3.4 r=0.9, R=3.2 r=0.8, R=3.5 r=0.8, R=3.6 r=1.0, R=3.5 r=0.9, R=2.4 r=0.6, R=3.8 r=1.0, R=3.4 r=0.7 R=3.8 r=1.0, R=4.0 r=1.4 R=3.0 r=0.9 R=3.3 r=0.8 R3.3 r=1.0 R=3.3 r=1.0 R=3.1 r=0.9 R=3.3 r=1.0, R=3.4 r=0.4 R=3.0 r=0.5 R=1.8 r=0.3 R=2.5 r=0.6 R=2.2 r=0.5.

USNM 1120957 , Cape Froward, Strait of Magellan , Chile, South Pacific, −53.6567, −70.9167, 82 m. Coll. U.S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, 26 April 1970. 2 dry specs. R=4.1 r=1.4, R=3.6 r=1.1.

USNM 1468791 , West of Taitao Peninsula, Chile, South Pacific. −46.083, −83.917, 298 m. Coll. R/V Eltanin, 9 Oct. 1966. 1 dry spec. R=1.2 r=0.3.

USNM 1664405 , South Pacific, West of the Antipodes Islands . −49.667, 178.892, 476–540 m. Coll. R/V Eltanin, USAP. 1 dry spec. with gut contents of presumed prey. R=1.4 r=0.5.

USNM 1662078 , South Pacific, west of the Antipodes Islands . −49.667, 178.892, 476–540 m. Coll. R/V Eltanin, USAP. 5 dry specs. R=2.6 r=0.9, R=3.0 r=1.0, R=2.5 r=0.7, R=2.6 r=1.0, R=2.1 r=0.7, R=1.1 r=0.4.

Figures

FIGURE 17. Lophaster stellans USNM 1662078. A. Abactinal surface, inset showing closeup of paxillae and reticulate skeleton. B. Closeup of paxillae showing points on each spinelet. C. Actinal surface. D. Abactinal and marginal paxillae. E. Closeup of tube foot furrow showing furrow spination. F. Closeup of oral region.

FIGURE 25. Solasteridae Gut Contents. Solaster regularis USNM 1137298 gut contents. A. Actinal view. B. Closeup of Anasterias (identified as GUTcon) in S. regularis gut. C. Closeup of paxillae (identified as GUTcon) in Lophaster stellans USNM 1664405 gut.