Evoplosoma watlingi Mah 2015

Mah, Christopher L., 2024, Two New Taxa of Goniasteridae (Asteroidea, Echinodermata) and Noteworthy Observations of Deep-Sea Asteroidea by the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer in the North and Tropical Atlantic, Zootaxa 5432 (4), pp. 461-508 : 486-488

Evoplosoma watlingi Mah 2015

FIGURE 11A–B

Mah 2015: 8

Diagnosis

Body strongly stellate, interradial arcs rounded, arms triangular with arm tips tapering. Dense round, smooth granules covering abactinal, marginal and actinal surfaces. Abactinal surface covered by evenly distributed conical spines. Furrow spines, four to five. Both furrow and subambulacral spines round in cross-section with conical tips.

Description

Body stellate with elongate arms, (R/r=2.8), interradial arcs weakly curved to straight. Dense, round, smooth granules covering abactinal, marginal and actinal surfaces. Abactinal surface mostly covered by evenly distributed conical spines. Furrow spines 4 to 5. Color of disk is yellow, arms orange.

Comments

These individuals were identified based on the granules covering the abactinal and marginal surfaces with evenly distributed conical spines ( Fig. 1A ). This is the second occurrence of this species, following its discovery at Bear Seamount. Observations reported here are also extensions of this species’ known bathymetric range.

Color of the specimen from Dumbell Seamount ( Fig. 17A ) differs in having a yellow disk and orange arms. In situ images of the type specimen and the specimen in Fig. 17B both show a more uniform dark orange color.

Occurrence

Bear Seamount, 39.9508, -67.4131, North Atlantic, 1564 m. New occurrence. Dumbell Seamount, 34.391535, - 51.774733 to 2396 m.

Image Observed

Dumbell Seamount, North Atlantic 34.391535, -51.774733, 2396 m ( Fig. 17A ).

EX2104_IMG_20210707T143035Z_ROVHD.jpg

Corner Rise 1 Seamount, 35.888573 -51.520257, 2450 m ( Fig. 17B ).

EX2104_IMG_20210710T182802Z_ROVHD.jpg

Figures

FIGURE 1. Neomorphaster margaritaceus (Stichasteridae) A. Southeast of the Azores, North Atlantic, 2098 m. B. Retriever Seamount, North Atlantic, feeding posture. C. USNM E18509, Bahamas, 614m showing papular pores. D. Oral plate showing pedicellariae. E. Gut contents showing foraminifera tests.

FIGURE 11. Evoplosoma watlingi (Goniasteridae) A. Dumbell Seamount, 2396 m. B. Corner Rise 1 Seamount, 2450 m.

FIGURE 17. Solaster and solasterid-pterasterid predation event.A. Solaster sp. feeding. B. Solasterid-pterasterid predation. Blake Spur Trough, North Atlantic, 3611 m.