Dichrometra palmata ( Müller, 1841 )

Mohammednowshad, B., Idreesbabu, K. K., Parameswaran, Usha V., Messing, Charles G. & Sureshkumar, S., 2020, The Shallow-water Crinoid Fauna of Lakshadweep Atolls, North-western Indian Ocean, Zootaxa 4789 (1), pp. 247-265 : 258

Dichrometra palmata ( Müller, 1841)

Alecto palmata Müller, 1841: 185 .

Antedon palmata: Carpenter, 1879: 23 , 29, 45.

Dichrometra palmata: A.H. Clark, 1909f: 367–368 ; Taylor et al., 2017: 8-9.

Lamprometra palmata: A.H. Clark, 1929: 641 ; 1941: 474-517, pl. 53 (figs. 243–246), pl. 54 (figs. 248–252), pl. 55 (fig. 257) (as L. palmata palmata ), 527–536, pl. 55 (fig. 256) (as L. palmata klunzingeri ); A.M. Clark & Rowe, 1971:23, fig. 8b; A.M. Clark, 1972: 95–97, 104–105 (as L. palmata palmata ), 102–104 (as L. klunzingeri ), Table 3; Rankin and Messing, 2008: 25–32 .

Antedon klunzingeri Hartlaub, 1890: 175 .

Lamprometra klunzingeri: A.H. Clark, 1913c: 144 ; 1941: 474, 527–536, pl. 55 (fig. 256).

Material examined.— West coast of Amini Island , 11.131N, 72.717E, 15m (MTRLDST E0234, 6 May 2018, Mohammed Nowshad, coll.

Diagnosis.— A species of Dichrometra with P2 substantially longer and stouter basally than both P1 and P3, composed of 17–26 pinnulars; P1 often longer than P3, with more segments; 20–30 arms; distal cirrals usually aborally carinate but sometimes with a prominent spine ( Taylor et al., 2017).

Description of survey specimen.—One badly broken specimen (MTRLDST E0234) with ~27 arms; cirri ~XXII, 19–21; distal cirrals weakly carinate. P2 of ~18 segments, with LW of longest middle pinnulars <2, and few basal segments weakly carinate. P1 more than half length of P2. Color in situ: dark maroon with large white oval blotch alternating on either side of arm ambulacral groove (possibly muscle bundles). Color in alcohol: rays pinkish-tan proximally with darker articulations, becoming paler on middle and distal arms; syzygial pairs, pinnules, and cirri dark purplish-brown.

Habitat.—Partly exposed on coral.

Distribution.— From east Africa, Madagascar, and the Red Sea as far east as Kwajalein Atoll, and from tropical Australia (Rowley Shoals, WA, to South West Rocks, NSW) as far north as Cape Inubô, Choshi, Japan (AH Clark, 1941; AM Clark and Rowe, 1971; Marshall and Rowe, 1981; Zmarzly, 1985; Rowe and Gates, 1985; Kogo, 1998; Taylor et al., 2017). Depth range: 0–51 m (Rowe and Gates, 1985). Kogo (1998) included two gill-net records of 50–80 m, and four dredge or trawl records exceeding 100 m (including one at 565–590 m), which are question- able.

Remarks.— Taylor et al. (2017) placed Lamprometra klunzingeri in synonymy under D. palmata and resurrected Dichrometra brachypecha (H.L. Clark, 1915) and Lamprometra palmata gyges ( Bell, 1884) as distinct species. This is the first record of D. palmata from Lakshadweep waters.