Henricia densispina ( Sladen, 1879 )

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 : 5-6

Henricia densispina ( Sladen, 1879)

Figures 5 A–F, 12D

Cribrella densispina Sladen, 1879: 432 , pl. 8, figs 5–9.

Henricia densispina Fisher, 1919: 436 –437, pl. 118, figs 2, 3, pl. 119, figs 1–3.— Hayashi, 1940: 140, pl. 10, figs 7, 8.— Djakonov, 1961: 20.

Material examined. Bohai Sea. One (R 37– 32 mm, r 8.5 mm, R: r 4.4–3.8), MBM016347, Stn. 1098, 38°40ʹN, 121°10ʹE, 28 Jan 1959.

Yellow Sea. One (R 23– 20 mm, r 5.1 mm, R: r 4.5–4.4), MBM175706, CN VXII74B-1, Stn.Y108, 50m, sandy mud and gravel, AT, coll. TANG, 6 Jul 1958; One (R 36– 32 mm, r 6.7 mm, R: r 5.4–4.8), MBM175695, CN V 13 B-1, Stn.Y107, 54m, muddy sand, BT, coll. TANG, 30 Jul 1957; One (R 55– 51 mm, r 10.0 mm, R: r 5.5–5.1), MBM175716, CN VXI32B-3, Stn.Y803, 56.5m, BT, coll. TANG, 16 Nov 1957; One (R 25– 20 mm, r 5.4 mm, R: r 4.6–3.7), MBM016343, CN 150-28, Stn. 3008, 37°00ʹN, 124°00ʹE, 77m, sandy mud and shell, BT, 10 Nov 1958; One (R 26– 22 mm, r 6.4 mm, R: r 4.1–3.4), MBM016346, CN H266B-12, Stn. 3008, 37°00ʹN, 124°00ʹE, 76m, sandy mud and shell, AT, coll. HUANG, 17 Oct 1959; Two (R 36– 27 mm, r 7.8 mm, R: r 4.6–3.5; R 23– 19 mm, r 6.5 mm, R: r 3.5–2.9), MBM016348, CN H156B-7, Stn.3008, 37°00ʹN, 124°00ʹE, 73.5m, sandy mud and shell, AT, coll. CHEN, 8 Jul 1959; One (R 39– 36 mm, r 9.2mm, R: r 4.2–3.9), Dry specimen, CN Y358B-26, Stn. 2064, 37°30ʹN, 123°30ʹE, 67m, fine sand, AT, coll. CHEN, 17 Oct 1959; One (R 52– 46 mm, r 9.0 mm, R: r 5.8–5.1), Dry specimen, CN M157B-4, Stn. 2065, 37°30ʹN, 124°03ʹE, 71.3m, fine sand and gravel, BT, coll. CHEN, 8 Jul 1959; Three (R 45– 40 mm, r 9.0 mm, R: r 5.0–4.4; R 45– 37 mm, r 9.0 mm, R: r 5.0–4.1; R 36– 34 mm, r 7.6 mm, R: r 4.7–4.5), Dry specimen, CN Y0205, Stn. Y205, 38°26ʹN, 121°34ʹE, 54m, 26 Jul 1957.

Distribution. Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, Korea Strait, Tatar Strait, Kurile Island, Japan, Philippines, 50– 770 m.

Remarks. Sladen (1879) first reported this species from the Korean Strait. Henricia densispina was subsequently recorded by Fisher (1919) from the Philippines. In addition, Hayashi (1940) reported the species from Japan and mentioned that specimens examined closely agree with Sladen’s original description rather than Fisher’s description. Therefore, there can be little doubt that specimens from the Philippines and specimens from Korean Strait and Japan are conspecific.

Hayashi (1940) noted that this species resembled Henricia leviuscula leviuscula and Henricia leviuscula spiculifera , but differed from them in the skeletal structure of abactinal and marginal plates and in the subadambulacral spines. The spinelets ( Fig. 12 D) are coarser than in H. leviuscula spiculifera and finer than in H. leviuscula leviuscula . Specimens from Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea agree well with Hayashi’s description.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Henricia densispina (Sladen). A, abactinal view; B, actinal view; C, abactinal ray; D, actinal ray; E, cleared abactinal ray showing abactinal plates arranged irregularly; F, cleared actinal ray.

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.