Dytaster insignis (Perrier, 1884)

Reports for the Azores:

Dytaster exilis Sladen, 1889 — $ Cherbonnier & Sibuet 1972: 376–377.

Type locality: Gulf of Mexico .

See: Downey (1973: 35–36, pl. 9, figs. C–D); A.M. Clark & Downey (1992: 54, pl. 16, figs. G–H).

Occurrence: Atlantic deep waters, reported from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean (A.M. Clark & Downey 1992), eastwards to the Rockall Trough (Gage et al. 1983) and the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone (Dilman 2013), south to the Azores (Cherbonnier & Sibuet 1972): also off Tristan da Cunha (A.M. Clark & Downey 1992).

Depth: 2,515– 3,670 m (Dilman 2013); AZO: 2,844–3,670 m (Cherbonnier & Sibuet 1972).

Habitat: soft deep-sea ooze; omnivorous scavenger (Gage et al. 1983).

Larval stage: planktotrophic (Tyler & Pain 1982).

Remarks: the geographic distribution of the relatively poorly known asteroid Dytaster insignis is based on a few isolated reports. Cherbonnier & Sibuet (1972) recorded the species Dytaster exilis in the Azores (Jean Charcot, Noratlante cruise: sta P62C03: 36°47’4”N, 27°11’7”W, 3,670 m; sta P65B10: 36°58’2”N, 26°20’W, 2,871 m), remarking that the specimens were close to the variety carinata . A.M. Clark & Downey (1992) listed this variety as a synonym of D. grandis grandis, a subspecies already known from the Azores. However, Cherbonnier & Sibuet (1972) concluded that though close to the variety ‘ carinata ’, the total absence of pedicellaria on the dorsal surface of the disc and arms placed the specimens close as well to the D. exilis type, a species presently accepted as D. insignis (Downey 1973) . Using the presence/absence of pedicellaria on dorsal surface as diagnosing character alone and comparing with the descriptions by A.M. Clark & Downey (1992) of both D. grandis grandis and D. insignis, we are inclined to include the Azorean specimens under the latter species. Furthermore, Dilman (2014) seems to agree with our conclusions, and listed Cherbonnier & Sibuet (1972) Azorean record under this species. Overall, the record from the Azores together with the reports to the Rockall Trough (Gage et al. 1983) and to the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge north of the Azores (Dilman 2013) further substantiate the presence of this species in the East Atlantic.