Asteronyx loveni Müller & Troschel, 1842

Calero, Belén & Ramil, Fran, 2023, Euryalida (Echinodermata, Ophiuroidea) from Northwest Africa, European Journal of Taxonomy 870, pp. 46-75 : 51-53

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.

Figures

Fig. 2. Map from the study area with the location of the stations where specimens of Asteronyx loveni Müller & Troschel, 1842 were collected during the ten surveys off Northwest Africa.

Fig. 3. A–B. Asteronyx loveni Müller & Troschel, 1842 collected from Mauritanian waters on Distichoptilum gracile Verrill, 1882. C. Asterochema inornatum Koehler, 1906 collected from Western Sahara waters on Paramuricea sp. Koelliker, 1865. D. Ophiocreas oedipus Lyman, 1879 collected from Western Sahara waters, on Acanthogorgiidae indet. E–F. Astrodendrum juancarlosi sp. nov. (LZM-UV Bissau-0810-06146), specimens collected from Guinea Bissau waters. Not to scale.

Fig. 4. A, D–E. Asteronyx loveni Müller & Troschel, 1842 (LZM-UV Maurit-1107-04528). A. One specimen collected over Anthoptilum murrayi Kölliker, 1880. D. Dorsal view. E. Ventral view. B, F–G. Asterochema inornatumKoehler, 1906 (LZM-UV Maroc-0511-16532). B. Dorsal view.F. Detail of dorsal disc. G. Ventral view. C, H–I. Ophiocreas oedipus Lyman, 1879 (LZM-UV Maroc-0611-07763). C. Dorsal view. H. Detail of dorsal disc. I. Ventral view.