Astroceramus cadessus Macan 1938

Mah, Christopher L., 2018, New genera, species and occurrence records of Goniasteridae (Asteroidea; Echinodermata) from the Indian Ocean, Zootaxa 4539 (1), pp. 1-116 : 11

Astroceramus cadessus Macan 1938

Macan 1938: 388

Diagnosis. Body stellate, R/r=2.8–2.9, interradial arcs weakly curved to straight. Six or seven superomarginal plates border abactinal plate surface at R=3.5–5.0 cm. Superomarginal plates, 11 to 12, abutted over midline over most of arm distance. Actinal surface bare with bivalve pedicellariae, coarse widely spaced granules, one to ten. Furrow spines mostly five, exceptionally six, subambulacral spines thick, blunt, two per plate.

Comments. Macan (1938: 390) differentiated this species from Astroceramus fisheri primarily based on the fewer number of superomarginals “bounding” the “paxillar area” (i.e., the abactinal plate disk region). The number of furrow spines also differs between the two species. This species is very similar to Astroceramus fisheri Koehler 1910 with which it shares several characters, including a similar pattern of abutting superomarginals and overall body shape. As further specimens are studied, and further understanding of the variation in this species is understood, Astroceramus cadessus and Astroceramus fisheri might prove to be either closely related or even synonymous.

Occurrence. Maldives, 229 m.

Material Examined: None