Astrothorax papillatus (H.L. Clark, 1923 )

O’Hara, Timothy D. & Thuy, Ben, 2025, Seamount ophiuroids from the High Seas of the western Indian Ocean, Zootaxa 5718 (1), pp. 1-88 : 16

Astrothorax papillatus (H.L. Clark, 1923)

Astrothamnus papillatus Clark, H.L., 1923: 316 – 318 , pl. 20(5 – 6).

Astrothorax papillata . — Mortensen, 1933b: 279 – 280, fig. 15. — Clark, A.M., 1951: 199. — Clark, A.M. & Courtman-Stock, 1976: 132.

Astrothorax waitei . — Baker, 1980: 30 – 32 (in part).

Astrothorax papillatus . — Olbers et al. 2019: 67 – 68, fig. 44 – 45.

STUDY MATERIAL. — MD208 : stn CP4882, Walters shoal, Pentes, 33° 16.67´S, 43° 50.4899´E to 33° 16.03´S, 43° 49.84´E, 371 – 399 m, 2/5/2017: 1 ( MNHN IE.2023.4160) . — MD208 : stn CP4902, Walters Shoal, Pentes, 33° 7.95´S, 44° 1.4001´E to 33° 8.44´S, 44° 1.7901´E, 700 – 711 m, 7/5/2017: 1 ( MNHN IE.2016.1061) ( DNA code= IE.2016.1061) .

COMPARATIVE MATERIAL EXAMINED. Astrothorax misakiensis Döderlein, 1911 : NW of Iejima Osl. , Okinawa Pref. Japan, 26° 55.793´N, 127° 39.676´E, 650 m, 22/7/2007 , NSMT E6888 ( DNA code= NSMT E6888 ). Astrothorax papillatus (H.L. Clark,1923) :CCH009/D00749, 36°33.32´S, 20° 36.79´E, 172 m, 2/5/2016 , SAMC MB- A88427 ( DNA code=A88427). PAMELA-MOZ01/CP2, Betsiboka, 15° 21.727´S, 45° 57.6521´E to 15° 21.515´S, 45° 55.9884´E, 719 – 1019 m, 8/10/2014, MNHN IE.2013.8419 ( DNA code=IE.2013.8419). Astrothorax tesselata Mortensen, 1933c : KANADEEP2/ PL743 _PBT-I-6, Stylaster , 23° 36.815´S, 167° 43.935´E, 548 m, 12/9/2019 , MNHN IE.2019.3020 ( DNA code=IE.2019.3020). Astrothorax waitei ( Benham, 1909) : IN2018_ V06 /132, Andy’s Hill , 44° 11.652´S, 146° 58.8´E to 44° 11.748´S, 146° 58.56´E, 727 – 877 m, 10/12/2018, MV F272400 ( DNA code=F272400). TAN1206/95, Site SM3 aa Clark Seamount , Southern Kermadec Ridge, 36° 27.072´S, 177° 50.388´E to 177° 50.382´N, 36° 26.928´W, 840 – 872 m, 24/4/2012, MV F188858 ( DNA code=F188858) .

Distribution. Madagascar ( 719 – 1019 m), S Africa ( 43 – 650 m), Walters Shoal ( 371 – 711 m).

Remarks. The three western Indian Ocean DNA samples (from South Africa, Madagascar and Walters Shoal) cluster separately from Southern Australian and New Zealand A. waitei samples and are closer to A. misakiensis from Japan. Consequently, we reject the synonymy of Baker (1980) and resurrect A. papillatus as a separate allopatric species to A. waitei . The largest of the Walters Shoal animals (IE.2016.1061) was 11 mm dd, an orange-red colour when alive, and was found wrapped around a cup coral.