Ailsastra booneni, 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 : 186-187

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.24199/j.mmv.2005.62.6
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03AE7635-470F-2037-FD14-6145FE6CFE1F
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Ailsastra booneni
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Ailsastra booneni View in CoL sp. nov.

Figures 1 View Figure 1 , 2c View Figure 2 , 3c View Figure 3 , 4g –i View Figure 4

Material examined. Holotype (alcohol). Indonesia, N Sulawesi I., Bay of Tomini, off Salongon, Mulibagu , 0°21'31''S, 124°3'14''E, 2–15 m, G. Paulay, 18 Sep 1999, UF 1938 . GoogleMaps

Diagnosis. Ailsastra with, at R = 9 mm, discrete, narrow rays, R/r up to 1.9; 6 longitudinal series of papulae across mid-ray; integument obscuring abactinal and actinal plates; abactinal spinelets granuliform to sacciform conical, up to about 0.20 mm long; lacking superomarginal spinelets; proximal actinal large pyramidal spines present on some interradii; up to 2 actinal interradial spines per plate.

Description. Integument obscures abactinal and actinal plates; 5 rays, asymmetrical form, R up to 9 mm; rays discrete, narrow, tapered to narrow rounded end, R/r up to 1.9; single large madreporite, not fissiparous; abactinal paired or single interradial gonopores. Carinal series of plates extend to end of ray, below adcarinal plates creating furrow, each plate doubly papulate, other abactinal ray plates obscured by integument, crescentiform series of spinelets pointing through integument, single papula per plate, 2 longitudinal series of papulae on each upper side of rays, 6 longitudinal series of papulae across mid-ray; disc distinctly bordered by 5 radial, 5 interradial plates; spinelets glassy, stout, granuliform on upper ray, sacciform conical in interradius, up to about 0.20 mm long; up to 5 spinelets in longitudinal series on proximal carinal plates, 1–2 spinelets on carinal plates in mid ray, up to about 8 spinelets in predominantly single or double series across raised proximal edge of plates; single spinelets in mid-interradius; superomarginal plates lacking spinelets; up to about 8 long, thin, glassy spinelets per inferomarginal plate. Actinal plates obscured by integument, spines in oblique series, variably webbed by integument. Actinal spines per plate: oral 3; suboral predominantly 1 (0–2), some longer than proximal oral spines, continuous as series with oral spines; furrow 3–2; subambulacral 2–1; adradial actinal 1; interradial 2–1; interradial spines digitiform, partly obscured by integument.

Colour (live). Mottled dark mauve and white, disc reddishbrown (holotype photo by G. Paulay: GP Sula-664) .

Distribution. Indonesia, N Sulawesi, 2– 15 m.

Etymology. Named in appreciation of the assistance of Ben Boonen, who has graciously and skilfully prepared the images for this and other echinoderm papers.

Remarks. The carinal plate arrangement and oral structure are consistent with the patterns shown in the type species, Ailsastra paulayi . The holotype was not dissected and the absence of superambulacral and superactinal plates was not confirmed. Molecular phylogenetic analysis by Jon Waters (pers. comm.; paper in preparation) places this species in a clade with the type species, Ailsastra paulayi (below).