Echinocardium capense Mortensen, 1907

Filander, Zoleka & Griffiths, Charles, 2017, Illustrated guide to the echinoid (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) fauna of South Africa, Zootaxa 4296 (1), pp. 1-72 : 59

Echinocardium capense Mortensen, 1907

Fig. 68 A–D.

Echinocardium flavescens: A. Agassiz, 1881: 175 ; Bell, 1904: 174.

Echinocardium capense: Döderlein, 1910:248 ; H.L. Clark, 1923: 405. Pl. XIII; H.L Clark, 1924: 15; H.L. Clark, 1925a: 232; Schultz, 2010: 416, Fig. 785.

Material examined. MBC-A 022294; MBC-A 022303; MBC-A027879.

Identification. Test oval, with short spines. Apical disc somewhat sunken, saddle-like in appearance. Anterior aboral ambulacra flushed; petals not widened at short internal fasciole, parallel. Anal fasciole and subanal fasciole joined. Preserved specimen brown.

Global maximum size. Maximum test length 50 mm.

Global distribution. Endemic to West and South coasts of South Africa, at 55–310 m depth ( Döderlein 1910; Clark & Courtman-Stock 1976).

Remarks. According to David & Laurin (1996), this species has been synonymized with the Mediterranean E. mortenseni and the Japanese E. lymani , however, Mironov (2006) has suggested that more information on pedicellarial variation amongst these species is needed before such conclusions are confirmed. We thus retain it for the present as a valid species.

Figures

FIGURE 68. Echinocardium capense (SAMC-A 22294). A. Map showing distribution. B. Aboral view of preserved specimen. C. Oral view of preserved specimen. D. Side view of preserved specimen.