Fromia elegans H.L. Clark 1921

Mah, Christopher L., Kogure, Yoichi, Fujita, Toshihiko & Higashiji, Takuo, 2024, New Taxa and Occurrences of Mesophotic and Deep-sea Goniasteridae (Valvatida, Asteroidea) from Okinawa and adjacent regions, Zootaxa 5403 (1), pp. 1-41 : 11

Fromia elegans H.L. Clark 1921

FIGURE 4A–E

Fromia elegans H.L. Clark 1921: 43 ; 1923: 240; A.H. Clark 1949: 74; A.M. Clark 1967: 189; Clark & Rowe 1971: 62; Marsh 1977: 257.

Diagnosis

Body strongly stellate (R/r=3.5–4.0), arms elongate, disk small to broad, interradial arcs acute ( Fig. 4A ). Abactinal plates acutely different sized plates, variably wide to irregular in shape.

( Fig. 4A–B ) and more heterogeneous plates distally. Plates weakly convex. Abactinal, marginal plates covered by granules. Marginal plates in regular series, relatively homogeneous in size, ( Fig. 4C ) shape, quadrate, gradually decreasing in size distally. Actinal granules triangular in cross-section. Papulae single, present between abactinal, marginal and actinal plates. Furrow spines two, subambulacral spines two with granules on adambulacral plates similar to those on actinal plates ( Fig. 4E ).

Comments

This account retains Fromia elegans as a valid species, following A.M. Clark (1993). Specimens studied herein were most consistent with descriptions outlined by H.L. Clark (1921).

Occurrence

Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, Japan, 3– 55 m.

Outside Japan. Torres Strait, North (Great Barrier Reef) and West Australia, Indonesia, Philippines. 0–17 m

Material Examined

USNM E 45992 1.3 km ENE of Maeki-Zaki , Seragaki Beach , Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, Japan, 25.5067, 127.877. 55 m. Coll. R.F. Bolland, 30 April 1989. 1 dry spec. R=2.5 r=0.7.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Fromia elegans USNM E45992 A. Abactinal surface. B. Closeup showing abactinal plates. C. Lateral view showing marginal plate characters. D. Actinal surface. Scale bar: A, D=4.0 mm; B-C=1.0 mm.