Culcita schmideliana ( Bruzelius, 1805 )

Mah, Christopher L., 2023, A new species of Astrosarkus from Western Australia including new Mesophotic occurrences of Indian Ocean Oreasteridae (Valvatida, Asteroidea), Memoirs of Museum Victoria 82, pp. 143-165 : 152

Culcita schmideliana ( Bruzelius, 1805)

Figure 6b–c

Asterias schmideliana Bruzelius 1805: 11 .

Culcita schmideliana Gray 1840: 276 ; Perrier 1875: 266 (74); Döderlein 1896: 315 (with varieties); Simpson and Brown 1910: 53; Clark and Rowe 1971: 41; Jangoux 1973: 18; A. M, Clark and Courtman-Stock 1976: 67; Marsh and Marshall 1983: 675; Jangoux 1985: 31; Rowe and Gates 1995: 99; Marsh and Fromont 2020: 402.

Diagnosis. Distinct papular free area laterally adjacent to the marginal plates. Distinct prominent tubercles and/or spines present on the skeletal ridges between the papular regions, lacking armament on the papular regions. Modified from Marsh and Fromont (2020).

Comments. Gates and Rowe (1995) and Marsh and Fromont (2020) have listed the bathymetric range of this species as extending into the mesophotic, see also below.

Prey includes hard and soft corals, echinoids, encrusting sponges, ascidians, and algal biofilm on reef sand or seagrass substrates (Marsh and Fromont, 2020, Thomassin, 1976). Unusual population densities in the Maldives have had an adverse affect on corals recovering from bleaching events ( Bruckner & Coward, 2018).

Occurrence. Primarily Western Indian Ocean, east Africa , including Madagascar, Maldives, to the Lakshadweep Islands , Indonesia, north-east coast of Australia, Western Australia to New Townsland and Cocos (Keeling) Islands. 0–92 m.

Material examined. USNM E37276 Off Lagoon , Kendikolu Island, Miladummadulu Atoll, Maldives, Indian Ocean. 5.97° N, 73.32° E, 44–46 m. Coll. F.C. Ziesenhenne. 29 March 1964. 1 dry spec . R=10.7, r=8.3.

MNHN-IE-2007-3995 North of Sainte Luce , southern Madagascar, 24° 35' 52.2024" S, 47° 32' 6" E, 80–86–m. Coll. ATIMO VATAE, R / V Nosy Be, May 2 2010. 1 wet spec .

Figures

Figure 6. Culcita spp. a, Culcita novaeguineae in situ from Bowl Slide, Australia, 99 m. Courtesy of R/V Falkor, Schmidt Ocean Institute; b, Culcita schmideliana, USNM E37276, Abactinal view. Scale bar=2.0 cm; c, Actinal view. Scale bar=2.0 cm.