Stephanometra indica ( Smith, 1876 )

Mohammednowshad, B., Idreesbabu, K. K., Parameswaran, Usha V., Messing, Charles G. & Sureshkumar, S., 2020, The Shallow-water Crinoid Fauna of Lakshadweep Atolls, North-western Indian Ocean, Zootaxa 4789 (1), pp. 247-265 : 259

Stephanometra indica ( Smith, 1876)

Comatula indica Smith, 1876:406 .

Antedon spicata Carpenter, 1881:190 .

Antedon indica: Carpenter, 1883:746 .

Antedon oxyacantha Hartlaub, 1890:178 .

Antedon spinipinna Hartlaub, 1890:179 .

Stephanometra spicata: A.H. Clark, 1909d:10 ; 1941:424–436, pl. 49 (figs. 223, 224), pl. 91 (fig.447); A.M. Clark & Rowe 1971:24; Chen et al., 1988:78, fig, 20; Kogo, 1998:62, fig.49.

Stephanometra indica: A.H. Clark, 1909d:10 ; 1941:436, pl. 51 (figs. 233, 234), pl. 91 (figs. 449, 450); A.M. Clark & Rowe 1971:24; Messing, 1998a:189; Rankin & Messing, 2008:11–25; Messing & Tay, 2016:253.

Stephanometra oxyacantha: A.H. Clark, 1909d:10 ; 1941:418–423, pl. 47 (fig. 217), pl. 48 (figs. 218–221); A.M. Clark & Rowe, 1971:24.

Stephanometra spinipinna: A.H. Clark, 1909d:10 ; 1941:415–418; A.M. Clark & Rowe 1971:24.

Stephanometra indica protectus: A.H. Clark, 1941:443–459 , pl. 49 (fig. 222) pl. 50 (figs. 225–230), pl. 51 (figs. 231, 232) (part).

Material examined.— Western outer reef, Kavaratti I., 10.553N, 72.612E, 10 m (1, MTRLDST E0232) and 13m (1, ZSI/ WGRC /IR.INV/13966), 18 January 2018, Sayed Abdullakoya and Mohammed Nowshad coll.

Diagnosis.— A species of Stephanometra with brachitaxis ossicles weakly swollen laterally or with thick rounded ridge-like extensions oriented obliquely to longitudinal axis of ray; middle and distal cirrals with aboral carination sometimes developing into small spine distally; P1 slender, tapering to conical tip; P2 alone or P2 and following 1–3 pinnules composed of elongated pinnulars with reduced ambulacral groove, conical terminal segment, and flattened articulations lacking triangular fossae (from Rankin & Messing, 2008).

Description of survey specimens.— Both specimens with centrodorsal small, convex, sub-pentagonal; distal intersyzygial interval irregular. ZSI/WGRC/IR.INV/13966: ~28 arms to 110 mm long; cirri L, 20 mm long; P 2 to 18 mm long. MTRLDST E0232: ~28 arms to 100 mm long; cirri XXXV, 18 mm long; P 2 to 17 mm long. Color: division series and arm bases light maroon with white sides and darker maroon articulations, followed by broad white arm band with maroon articulations and white pinnules; middle and distal arms maroon with darker articulations and few short white bands with dark articulations; middle and distal pinnules maroon with yellow tips; cirri white, light maroon aborally.

Habitat.— The specimens were found in crevices on the outer reef flat.

Distribution.— From East Africa (Red Sea to Madagascar) in the west, to Kwajalein Atoll, Tonga, and Samoa in the east, including Mauritius, Seychelles, Lakshadweep, Maldives, India from Gujarat to ANI, and from tropical Australia (Rowley Shoals, WA, to Solitary Is, QLD) north to Okinawa, Japan (A.H. Clark, 1941; Rowe & Gates, 1985; Zmarzly, 1985; Kogo, 1998; Rowe & Richmond, 2004; Sastry, 2005, 2007; Rankin & Messing, 2008; this study). Depth range: shoreline possibly to 73 m (A.H. Clark 1941).

Remarks.—This is the first record of this species from Lakshadweep waters.