Sthenaster emmae Mah & Nizinski & Lundsten 2010, SP. NOV.

• Main Authors: Mah, Christopher, Nizinski, Martha, Lundsten, Lonny
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Zenodo 2010
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Echinodermata; Asteroidea; Valvatida; Goniasteridae; Sthenaster; Sthenaster emmae; North Atlantic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10545609; http://treatment.plazi.org/id/C1391E19FF983756FED2F9C7FD7CB197

STHENASTER EMMAE SP. NOV. FIGURE 4A–H Occurrence: Known only from Savannah Banks and off the coast of Jacksonville, FL. 252–501 m. Material examined: HOLOTYPE: USNM 1124468, Savannah Banks, 31°42′N, 79°07′W, 498 m, coll. T. Casazza, JSL 4902, 26.x.2005 (1 wet spec. R = 9.6, r = 4.7). PARATYPE-USNM E15539, off coast of Jacksonville, FL, North Atlantic Ocean. 30°31′N, 80°05′W, 252 m (1 dry spec. R = 9.3, r = 4.4); PARATYPE- USNM 1124469, Savannah Banks, 31°44′N, 79°05′W, 501 m, coll. C. Caddigan, JSL 4900, 22.x.2005 (1 dry spec. R = ~9.2, r = 4.8). Etymology: Genus is derived from sthenos , Greek for ‘strength’ and – aster for ‘star.’ Specific epithet is named after Dr Emma Bullock in honour of her contributions to the geochemistry of meteorites and asteroids. Description: Arms five, triangular in outline. Disk large, broad, swollen, especially in wet specimen. Body stout, thick (Fig. 4A, B). Abactinal plates round to polygonal to oblong in outline with numerous interspersed secondary plates (Fig. 4F) embedded in a thick, pulpy tissue forming heavily thickened abactinal body wall (Fig. 4A). Plates with high-aspect; mound-like in shape, forming deep but open channels between plates (Fig. 4A, E). Abactinal plates are covered with two to ten blunt to conical spine-like granules, usually forming a periphery around plate edge with only one or two granules/ spines centrally located. Some plates bear enlarged conical, spine-like granules, surrounded by smaller blunt spinelets. Large abactinal clam-shell like pedicellariae present, each with nine to 12 interlocking teeth per valve (Fig. 4E). Pedicellariae located centrally on plate surface varying in size from one-third to three-quarters of plate diameter, flanked by spinelike granules. Pedicellariae occurring unevenly over abactinal surface, becoming densely concentrated in some areas but absent from others. Madreporite sunken, bordered by seven to eight abactinal plates. Papulae, small, four to six, interspersed between plates. Marginal plates wide (W> L), 42–45 per ...