Aquilonastra chantalae, O’Loughlin, Mark & Mackenzie, Melanie, 2013

O’Loughlin, Mark & Mackenzie, Melanie, 2013, Asterinid seastars from the Mozambique Channel (Echinodermata: Asteroidea: Asterinidae), Zootaxa 3613 (2), pp. 176-180 : 177

Aquilonastra chantalae sp. nov.

Figures 1 & 2 , table 1.

Material examined. Holotype (in alcohol). Indian Ocean, Scattered Is., Europa I., station 10 Bio 90, 22°20'35''S 40°22'55''E, under rock on reef flat, C. Conand, 10 Nov 2011, MNHN IE–2013–617 (in alcohol). Paratypes. Type locality and date, MNHN IE–2013–618 (11, in alcohol); NMV F189860 (8, in alcohol).

Description. Fissiparous Aquilonastra species; rays 5–7, predominantly 6, rarely 7, largest specimens with 5; up to R = 4 mm, r = 2 mm (preserved in alcohol); rays discrete, wide basally tapering to rounded end distally; more than one inconspicuous madreporite; some abactinal contiguous spinelets over papulae possibly act as pedicellariae, spinelets not differentiated as valves; abactinal gonopores. At R = 4 mm, plates with proximal notch or indentation for papula, rarely doubly notched; single large papula per papular space; single longitudinal series of single papulae along each side of rays; abactinal spinelets glassy, rugose, predominantly digitiform, spinous distally and laterally, up to rarely 10 per plate; marginal plates in regular series, subequal; superomarginal spinelets up to about 5 per plate; inferomarginal spinelets up to about 8 per plate. Spines per actinal plate: oral 4–5, suboral 1, furrow 3 (4 rare), subambulacral 1 (2 rare), actinal inter-radial 1 (2 rare); inter-radial spines predominantly subsacciform, spinous distally.

Colour (live). Variably mottled, predominantly with green, never with red, madreporites orange (photo from C. Conand).

Distribution. Indian Ocean, Mozambique Channel, Scattered Is., Europa I., 0– 1 m.

Etymology. Named chantalae for Dr Chantal Conand, Professor Emeritus, University of La Réunion, in appreciation of Chantal’s considerable contribution to echinoderm research and provision of specimens for this study.

Remarks. The similar small fissiparous asterinid species Aquilonastra conandae O’Loughlin & Rowe, 2006 from the Mascarene Islands is distinguishing amongst western Indo-Pacific fissiparous species of Aquilonastra O’Loughlin, 2004 in O’Loughlin & Rowe 2006. Twenty nine paratypes (NMV F107412) in Museum Victoria were compared and contrasted directly with specimens of Aquilonastra chantalae sp. nov. Diagnostic characters that distinguish Aquilonastra chantalae sp. nov. from Aquilonastra conandae O’Loughlin & Rowe, 2006 are listed in the table.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Aquilonastra chantalae sp. nov. a, abactinal view of holotype (MNHN IE – 2013 – 617); b, actinal view of holotype (MNHN IE – 2013 – 617); c, abactinal spinelets of paratype (NMV F 189860); d, actinal view of oral region of paratype (NMV F 189860); e, actinal view of distal inter-radius and margin of paratype (NMV F 189860); f, actinal view of post-fissiparous paratype (MNHN IE – 2013 – 618).

FIGURE 2. a – d, f., Aquilonastra conandae O’Loughlin & Rowe, 2006. a, abactinal view of paratype (NMV F 107412); b, actinal view of paratype (NMV F 107412); c, abactinal spinelets of paratype (NMV F 107412); d, actinal view of oral region of paratype (NMV F 107412); f, live colour photo of specimen in situ (photo provided by C. Conand). e, Aquilonastra chantalae sp. nov., live colour photo of specimen in situ (photo provided by C. Conand).