CRINOIDEA

Rowe, Frank & Richmond, Matthew, 2004, A preliminary account of the shallow-water echinoderms of Rodrigues, Mauritius, western Indian Ocean, Journal of Natural History 38 (23), pp. 3273-3314 : 3275-3286

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.1080/002229301695105
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EB87CB-FFAB-FFB1-965D-7F48FCAEFD9E
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	CRINOIDEA
status

Treatment

Class CRINOIDEA View in CoL

Comatulid indet.

Material. Four individual arms of a specimen, collected from Chaland Reef, 10 m depth. Numerous individuals were observed attached deep in crevices among coral with only the distal part of the arms extended. Removal of intact specimens was unsuccessful.

Coloration. In life, arm pinnules uniformly pale yellow-orange.

Family MARIAMETRIDAE

Stephanometra indica ( Smith, 1876a) View in CoL

See: Clark and Rowe, 1971: 8 (distribution), 24 (key).

Numbers correspond to sources: 1, Clark and Rowe (1971); 2, Cherbonnier (1988); 3, Cherbonnier and Guille (1978); 4, Sloan et al

(1995); 6, specimen collected and photographed by M.D.R.; 7, Vine (1986); 8, Clark and Taylor (1971); 9, Campbell and Morrison (

Tahera and Tirmizi (1995); 12, Kerr (1994); 13, Liao and Clark (1995); 14, Tortonese (1980); 15, Thandar and Rowe (1989); 16, Hoggett

18, Jangoux (1973); 19, Price (1982); 20, Rowe (1985b); 21, Moosleitner (1997); 22, Massin (1999).

Records marked ‘?’ equivalent to doubtful records in Clark and Rowe (1971); nr, new record for Mascarene Islands; numbers in italics

Material. One specimen, Grand Baie reef slope, 15 m depth, amongst coral; one specimen Chaland Reef, 15 m depth, amongst coral; one specimen, Grand Baie, 16 m; one specimen, Passe Demi, 18 m, among black corals.

Coloration. In life, various patterns of purple, pink and white banding ( figure 2 View FIGS ). Comments. The type locality, from which S. indica was described by Smith (1876a) is Rodrigues. The specimens accord in all aspects with the original and subsequent descriptions for the species .

Distribution. Widespread throughout the Indo-west Pacific region, though not reported from the north-western parts of the Indian Ocean or Hawaii.

Family TROPIOMETRIDAE

Tropiometra carinata (Lamarck, 1816)

See: Clark and Rowe, 1971: 10 (distribution), 25 (key).

Material. One specimen, Totor Reef, 5–7 m depth, amongst coral.

Coloration. Uniformly coloured pale orange pinnules, with arms more brownish and finely banded with white.

Distribution. An Indian Ocean species (type locality Mauritius), but not recorded from the Arabian Gulf or Maldives. Records of T. carinata occurring further east of Bay of Bengal are queried by Clark and Rowe (1971).

Class ASTEROIDEA Family OPHIDIASTERIDAE View in CoL Dactylosaster cylindricus (Lamarck, 1816) See View in CoL : Clark and Rowe, 1971: 34 (distribution), 59 (key); Rowe and Gates, 1995: 195.

Material. Two specimens ( R ~ 60–90 mm, r ~ 9 mm; R ~ 33.5–66.5 mm, r ~ 9.5 mm), Coton Baie, reef crest; one specimen ( R ~ 41.6 mm, r ~ 4.5 mm) , Rivière Banane, under boulder, reef crest; one specimen ( R ~ 60 mm, r ~ 6 mm) , Grand Pate´, hidden deep inside coral crevices, 15 m.

Coloration. Mottled black and lilac/silvery blue.

Comments. There is some doubt as to the type locality of this species, whether it is from Australian or from Mauritian waters (see Rowe and Gates, 1995). The specimens from Rodrigues are typical of the species though those from Coton Baie show signs of regenerative growth from damaged arms .

Distribution. Widespread though with a patchy distribution throughout the Indo-west Pacific region.

Fromia milleporella (Lamarck, 1816)

See: Clark and Rowe, 1971: 34 (distribution), 63 (key).

Material. Several specimens were found, mostly between 3 and 5 cm diameter, among coral at depths from 5 to 20 m on reefs at Totor and Rivière Banane, and deposited at the Shoals Rodrigues office. Coloration. Brick red.

Distribution. Widespread in the Indo-west Pacific region, though not recorded from north-western Indian Ocean or Hawaii.

Gomophia watsoni (Livingstone, 1936)

See: Clark, 1967: 176; Rowe and Gates, 1995: 84; Erhardt and Moosleitner, 1995: 972 (coloured photograph).

Material. One specimen ( R ~ 52.0 mm, r ~ 9.0 mm), Totor Reef, among coral, 7 m; one specimen with six arms ( R ~ 21.8–30.5 mm, r ~ 7.0 mm), Grand Pate´, 15 m . An additional specimen found at Totor Reef was deposited at the Shoals Rodrigues office.

Coloration. Arms banded with darker shades of grey; centre paler grey with conspicuous lighter-coloured tubercles (see figure 3 View FIGS ).

Comments. The identification of this species from the western Indian Ocean is a surprise. That Ophidiaster watsoni Livingstone, 1936 is congeneric with egyptiaca Gray, 1840 (the genotype of Gomophia, Gray, 1840 ) as A. M. Clark (1967) concluded and not conspecific with it, as later considered by Rowe and Pawson (1977) cannot be doubted. In fact, Rowe and Gates (1995) reinstated Gomophia watsoni for Australian waters along the Great Barrier Reef and westwards to Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. Within this genus three species ( G. egyptiaca G. egeriae A. M. Clark, 1967 and G. watsoni ) share the possession of intermarginal plates and distinctive, conical abactinal/superomarginal tubercles, at the apex of which is usually a single (rarely two or three, G. egeriae ), simple, conical nipple-like granule. G. egeriae A. M. Clark, 1967 , similarly has conical tubercles, but lacks a prominent apical granule, instead the tubercles are covered by an even layer of granules. The differences between G. egyptiaca and G. watsoni appear to be very marked [see Erhardt and Moosleitner, 1995, cf. p. 969 ( G. egyptiaca ) versus p. 972 ( G. watsoni )] with G. watsoni having a distinct row of supermarginal plates within which the larger, convex plates are spaced between one and three smaller plates (as is the case in the two Rodrigues specimens). The intermarginal plates are well defined between the inferomarginal/ superomarginal boundary. There are three rows of intermarginal plates in the larger Rodrigues specimen, a prominent median row extending to ca K R, with a shorter row to ca M R above and ca J R below, and a single row to ca K R in the smaller specimen. The conical abactinal tubercles are much smaller (v 2 mm) than G. egyptiaca and usually more numerous (w 20). The Rodrigues specimens have about 20 abactinal tubercles per arm.

Distribution. Following the recent recognition of G. watsoni as a valid species it is now known with certainty from northern Australia to Christmas Island (eastern Indian Ocean) and Rodrigues Island—the present record being an extension of the range into the western Indian Ocean. This interesting new record strongly suggests that a reassessment of published specimens and records of G. egyptiaca is required. Such a study would eliminate confusion of identity and distribution for each of these species, since sympatry seems likely. G. egyptiaca is reported from East Africa, Mauritius, Red Sea (the type locality) eastwards to Sri Lanka, Bay of Bengal, Indo-Malay region, northern Australia (off Mackay, Queensland being the type locality of G. watsoni ) and islands of the south-west Pacific Ocean (see Clark and Rowe, 1971; Marsh, 1974: table 1).

Leiaster leachi (Gray, 1840)

See: Clark and Rowe, 1971: 36 (distribution), 58 (key); Jangoux, 1980: 91; Price, 1983: 43.

Material. One specimen ( R ~ 166– 11 mm, r ~ 14 mm, br ~ 13–14 mm), Totor Reef, among corals, 7 m. Coloration. The specimen is typically coloured patchy red, purple and white. Comments. Jangoux (1980) has reviewed the species of Leiaster . Distribution. Described originally from Mauritius, this species is widely distributed throughout the Indo-west Pacific region .

Linckia multifora (Lamarck, 1816)

See: Clark and Rowe, 1971: 36 (distribution), 62 (key).

Material. One specimen ( R ~ 75.0 mm, r ~ 9.3 mm, r ~ 10.6 mm), Ile aux Chats, reef crest; one specimen, Ile Hermitage passage ( R ~ 125.0 mm, r ~ 11.0 mm, 12.6 mm) .

Comments. This starfish was encountered at numerous and diverse sites throughout the shallow subtidal and lower intertidal. The longest arm length of the specimen from Ile Hermitage, at R ~ 125.0 mm, exceeds that of specimens reported from Aldabra ( Sloan et al., 1979; R ~ 114 mm) and the Maldives ( James, 1989; R ~ 110 mm) and suggests that this fissiparous species reaches a considerable size. Each of the specimens from Rodrigues is typical of the species in having five unequal arms, two madreporites and mottled coloration with bluetipped arms. The taxonomy of this species, whether the fissiparous L. multifora (Lamarck, 1816) is a valid species or a junior synonym of the non-fissiparous L. laevigata (Linnaeus, 1758) , is currently a matter of debate, following the recent molecular study carried out by Williams (2000). Williams (2000) paints a complex picture of L. laevigata whereby, based on molecular analysis, it can be divided into two groups: (1) Indian Ocean and (2) a south-west Pacific group. Until the relationship of multifora within laevigata is more satisfactorily concluded ( multifora appears more related within the Indian Ocean group of laevigata ), then on the grounds of traditionally accepted morphological/colour pattern characters, we continue to recognize the validity of Linckia multifora . We agree with Williams’ concluding statement that ‘a revision of this genus ( Linckia ) is probably needed’.

Distribution. Widespread throughout the Indo-west Pacific.

Nardoa variolata (Retzius, 1805)

See: Clark and Rowe, 1971: 36 (distribution), 25 (key).

Material. Specimens were collected and observed at various rocky and coralline sites, being particularly common at Grand Baie. These were all deposited at the Shoals Rodrigues office.

Coloration. Characteristic brick red with blackened edges to plates.

Comments. Possibly one of the most commonly encountered starfish species on Rodrigues.

Distribution. Restricted to the western part of the Indian Ocean.

Neoferdina offreti (Koehler, 1910)

See: Clark and Rowe, 1971: 36 (distribution), 65 (key); Jangoux, 1973: 778; Sloan et al., 1979: 98; Clark, 1984: 94; Jangoux and Aziz, 1984: 867.

Material. One specimen (four arms, R ~ 21.8 mm, r ~ 6.3 mm), Ile aux Fous, fringing reef, among coral, 9 m.

Coloration. Creamy white with honeycomb appearance due to red edging of plates, being thicker and darker towards the tips of the arms.

Comments. Jangoux (1973) has reviewed the species in the genus Neoferdina .

Distribution. A new record for the Mascarene Islands, extending the range southwards from the Seychelles. Recorded also from the Andaman Islands (type locality), Okinawa, Japan and New Caledonia, south-west Pacific Ocean ( Jangoux, 1973). The latter report requires confirmation in light of the more recent record from there of N. cummingi (Gray, 1840) by Jangoux (1986). The inclusion of N. cummingi in the faunal complement of the eastern African and western Indian Ocean field guide ( Rowe and Richmond, 1997) is an error and refers to the occurrence of N. offreti (see Rowe and Richmond, 2002).