Systematics and biology of Macquarie Island echinoderms
Memoirs of Museum Victoria Vol 57 (2) p. 167–223 (1999)
Abstract
Fifty–two echinoderm species are recorded from off Macquarie Island and the Macquarie Ridge in the Southern Ocean. One new asteroid Odontohenricia anarea sp. nov. and one new holothurian Trachythyone nelladana sp. nov. are described. The asteroid genus Calvasterias is synonymised with Anasterias. The asteroids Cycethra macquariensis and Asterina hamiltoni are synonymised with Asterina frigida and placed in the genus Cycethra. The asteroid Ceramaster lennoxkingi is synonymised with C. patagonicus, Solaster dianae with S. notophrynus, and Anasterias sphoerulatus with A. mawsoni. The asteroids Psilaster charcoti, Odontaster penicillatus, Ceramaster patagonicus, Crossaster multispinus, Solaster notophrynus, Pteraster affinis, Henricia studeri, the ophiuroid Ophioplocus incipiens, and the holothurians Paelopatides ovalis, Synallactes challengeri, Laetmogone sp, Taeniogyrus sp are recorded from the island for the first time. The following species previously recorded from Macquarie Island have been re–identified: the asteroids Odontaster aucklandensis (=O. penicillatus), Henricia aucklandiae (=H. studeri), Henricia lukinsi (=H. obesa), Smilasterias irregularis (=S. clarkailsa), Anasterias antarctica (=A. directa), and the ophiuroid Ophiacantha pentagona (= O. vilis). The existence at Macquarie Island of the species Hymenaster sp, Goniocidaris umbraculum and Ocnus calcareus require confirmation. The asteroids Anasterias mawsoni, Pteraster affinis, Porania antarctica and Odontaster meridionalis are reported from the shore around Heard Island. The ecology and relationships of echinoderms from Macquarie Island are discussed.
Publication date: 1 July 1999