Ailsastra amezianeae, O'Loughlin & Rowe, 2005

O'Loughlin, P. Mark & Rowe, Francis W. E., 2005, A new asterinid genus from the Indo-West Pacific region, including five new species (Echinodermata: Asteroidea: Asterinidae), Memoirs of Museum Victoria 62 (2), pp. 181-189 : 183-186

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.24199/j.mmv.2005.62.6
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03AE7635-4708-2035-FD2C-6396FEA9F827
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Ailsastra amezianeae
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Ailsastra amezianeae View in CoL sp. nov.

Figures 1 View Figure 1 , 2b View Figure 2 , 3b View Figure 3 , 4d–f View Figure 4

Material examined. Holotype (dry). NW Madagascar, Nossi Be, G. Cherbonnier, 6 Oct 1959, MNHN EcAs 11845.

Paratype (dry, part dissected). Type locality, G. Cherbonnier, 2 Dec 1959, MNHN EcAs 11846 .

Diagnosis. Ailsastra with, at R = 10 mm, discrete, short, broad rays, R/r about 1.5; 8 longitudinal series of papulae across mid-ray; abactinal spinelets stout, short, up to about 0.10 mm long; inferomarginal spinelets twice as long as superomarginal spinelets; up to 4 actinal interradial spines per plate.

Description. Integument evident; 5 rays, R up to 10 mm; rays discrete, short, wide at base, broad, tapered to narrow rounded end, R/r about 1.5; single madreporite, not fissiparous; abactinal gonopores. Carinal series of plates broadly visible, not below adcarinal plates, doubly papulate, other abactinal ray plates sometimes slightly incurved proximally for single papula, 3 longitudinal series of papulae on each upper side of rays, 8 longitudinal series of papulae at mid-ray; disc close to regularly defined by 5 radial, 5 interradial plates; spinelets glassy, stout, splay-pointed subsacciform, up to about 16 spinelets in double or single series across proximal edge of plates, up to about 0.10 mm long, up to 6 in subpaxilliform tuft on distal interradial plates, proximal and distal spinelets subequal; up to about 6 short stout sacciform superomarginal spinelets per plate, up to about 16 longer sacciform inferomarginal spinelets per plate, up to twice as long as superomarginal spinelets. Actinal spines per plate: oral 2–5; suboral 0; furrow (proximal) 3; subambulacral 2–3; adradial actinal 2–4; interradial 2–4; interradial spines stout, subsacciform, pointed, in webbed tufts.

Distribution. NW Madagascar, Nossi Be.

Etymology. Named in recognition of Dr Nadia Améziane of the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, who has graciously assisted the authors with information and the loan of materials for echinoderm research.

Remarks. The carinal plate arrangement, oral structure, and absence of superambulacral and superactinal plates, are consistent with this unique asterinid combination in the Ailsastra type species A. paulayi . Molecular data are not available for A. amezianeae .