Henricia leviuscula leviuscula ( Stimpson, 1857 )

Xiao, Ning, Liao, Yulin & Liu, Ruiyu, 2011, Records of the genus Henricia Gray, 1840 (Echinodermata: Asteroidea: Echinasteridae) from Chinese waters, Zootaxa 3115, pp. 1-20 : 9-10

Henricia leviuscula leviuscula ( Stimpson, 1857)

Figures 7 A–G, 12A–B

Linckia leviuscula Stimpson, 1857: 529 .

Cribrella laeviuscula Whiteaves, 1878: 466 .— Clark, 1901: 327.

Cribrella laeviuscula crassa Clark, 1901: 327 .

Cribrella laeviuscula attenuata Clark, 1901: 328 .

Henricia leviuscula Fisher, 1910: 570 ; 1911: 280, pl. 69, figs 1,2, pl. 70, figs 1,2, pl. 71, figs 2,3, pl. 111, fig. 6; 1930, 195.— Verrill, 1914: 215, pl. 12, figs 5, 6, pl. 13, figs 1, 2.— Uchida, 1928: 791, Text-fig. 2.— Hayashi, 1940: 128, pl. 8, figs 14, 15.— Chang, 1948: 40, pl. 4, figs 1, 2, pl. 5, figs 1, 2.— Chang, & Woo, 1954: 124.— Djakonov, 1950: 95, pl.28, 79, 80, 83, 84; 1961: 23.— Chang et al., 1964: 65.— Lambert, 1981: 100.— Maluf, 1988: 43,124.— Xu, 1994: 637.— Liao & Sun, 1996: 466, fig. 18–15.— Shin & Rho, 1996: 333, pl. 21, figs a–h.— Liao, 2008: 852.

Material examined. Bohai Sea. Two (R 45– 41 mm, r 9.4 mm, R: r 4.8–4.4; R 54– 50 mm, r 11 mm, R: r 4.9–4.5), Dry specimens, Qimu Island, NW Longkou, 16 Jun 1956.

Ye l lo w S e a. One (R 27– 24 mm, r 5.8 mm, R: r 4.7–4.1), MBM175707, CN 53-13, Xiaoping Island, SW Dalian, coll. WU, 22 Nov 1953; One (R 30– 27 mm, r 6.7 mm, R: r 4.5–4.0), MBM175708, CN 56-447, Xiaoping Island, SW Dalian, 15 Oct 1956; One (R 37– 33 mm, r 7.0 mm, R: r 5.3–4.7), Dry specimen, Xiaoping Island, SW Dalian, 1956; One (R 22– 18 mm, r 4.8 mm, R: r 4.6–3.8), MBM175694, CN 4176, Lidao Island, E Rongcheng, coll. MA, 18 Jul 1951; One (R 48– 44 mm, r 9.8 mm, R: r 4.9–4.5), Dry specimen, CN Y411B-17, Stn. 3043, 35°30ʹN, 120°00ʹE, 29 Oct 1959; One (R 32– 31 mm, r 6.7 mm, R: r 4.8– 4.6), Dry specimen, CN 56-260, Lidao Island, E Rongcheng, 6 Jul 1956; One (R 31– 30 mm, r 6.7 mm, R: r 4.6–4.5), Dry specimen, Lidao Island, E Rongcheng, 23 Jun 1956; One (R 38– 35 mm, r 7.2 mm, R: r 5.3–4.9), Dry specimen, Lidao Island, E Rongcheng, 15 Apr 1957; One (R 24– 22 mm, r 5.5 mm, R: r 4.4–4), Dry specimen, CN 56-250, Lidao Island, E Rongcheng, 24 Jun 1956; One (R 28– 24 mm, r 6.2 mm, R: r 4.2–3.9), Dry specimen, CN 1956-434, Haiyang Island, E Dalian, 27 Sep 1956; One (R 26– 21 mm, r 5.8 mm, R: r 4.5–3.6), Dry specimen, Yantai, 1936; One (R 42– 37 mm, r 8.3 mm, R: r 5.1–4.5), Dry specimen, Dongchu Island, Rongcheng, 17 May 1954; One (R 37– 35 mm, r 7.3 mm, R: r 5.1– 4.8), Dry specimen, Chengshantou, E Rongcheng, Jul 1935; One (R 31– 28 mm, r 6.6 mm, R: r 4.7–4.2), Dry specimen, Jiaozhou Bay, 15 May 1936; One (R 35– 28 mm, r 8.1 mm, R: r 4.3–3.5), Dry specimen, CN K259, Dalian, 25 Oct 1958; Two (R 48– 43 mm, r 9.0 mm, R: r 5.3–4.8; R 23– 22 mm, r 5.6 mm, R: r 4.1–3.9), Dry specimens, CN 56-247, Lidao Island, E Rongcheng, 21 Jun 1956; One (R 59– 57 mm, r 10.6 mm, R: r 5.6–5.4), Dry specimen, CN 0 109, Qingdao, 31 Mar 1937; One (R 95– 90 mm, r 18.3 mm, R: r 5.2–4.9), Dry specimen, Lianyungang, 10 Oct 1955.

Distribution. Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, Japan Sea, Korea Strait, and Aleutian Island to southern California, 0– 400 m.

Remarks. This species is distinguished by the numerous short, almost granuliform spinelets, the three regular series of marginal and ventrolateral plates and intermarginal areas ( Fig. 7 G) confined to small triangular spaces at arm base. Spinelet tips ( Fig. 12 A) are pointed rather than blunt, as indicated in Hayashi’s (1940) description of the species. In our specimens the morphology of most spinelets corresponds well with his description. We observed the character of spinelets in two large dry specimens that are the last ones in material examined is peculiar. Spinelet tips ( Fig. 12 B) were globular and hyaline and under magnification, they appeared pearly and bead like. Fisher (1911c) noticed the quite distinct variation and mentioned that this variation in spinelet morphology may be due to either greater age of the organism or the action of waves. We further examined these two specimens and found that on the ventral surface the tips of spinelets were sharper and less globular. In other words, the tips of spinelets have a tendency to be globular from ventral surface to dorsal surface. They agree with Fisher’s descriptions.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Henricia leviuscula leviuscula (Stimpson). A, abactinal view; B, actinal view; C – D abactinal ray; E, actinal ray; F, cleared abactinal ray; G, cleared actinal ray showing intermarginal areas.

FIGURE 12. Abactinal spinelets. A – B, Henricia leviuscula leviuscula (Stimpson) A. Note Spinelet tip with thorn-like points. B. Note Spinelet with globular ending; C, Henricia leviuscula spiculifera (H. L. Clark) Note Spinelet finer than in H. leviuscula leviuscula; D, Henricia densispina (Sladen) Note Spinelet coarser than in H. leviuscula spiculifera finer than in H. leviuscula leviuscula; E, Henricia regularis Hayashi; F, Henricia exigua Hayashi; G, Henricia aspera robusta Djakonov (distal tip of spinelets broken); H, Henricia ohshimai Hayashi; I, Henricia pacifica Hayashi; J, Henricia arcystata Fisher. Scale line in Figures 10 A – J = 100 μm.