Chitonaster trangae Mah, 2011, n. sp.

• Main Author: Mah, Christopher L.
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Echinodermata; Asteroidea; Valvatida; Goniasteridae; Chitonaster; Chitonaster trangae; Antarctic; Southern Ocean; Antarctic Peninsula; Weddell Sea; Scotia Sea; South Shetland Islands; Bransfield Strait; Weddell; South Orkney Islands; Elephant Island; Laurie; Anvers; Anvers Island; Coats Land; Palmer Archipelago; Lockhart; Pawson; Vahsel; Vahsel Bay; Antarc*; Enderby Land
• Online Access: https://zenodo.org/record/6184335; https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6184335

Chitonaster trangae n. sp. (Figure 7 A–F) Mein, 1992: 245; Stampanato & Jangoux, 1993: 181. (as C. johannae) Diagnosis. Papulae present between abactinal plates. Blunt, cylindrical spines on abactinal and marginal plates. Granules coarse and well-spaced. Abactinal plates larger than in other known Chitonaster species (C. cataphractus, C. felli, and C. johannae). Etymology. This species is named for Trang Ngyuen, US Antarctic Research Program for her enthusiasm and diligent contributions to the study of Antarctic marine invertebrates. Distribution. Palmer Archipelago, Antarctic Peninsula, Vahsel Bay, Weddell Sea, South Orkney Islands, Scotia Sea, South Shetland Islands, Bransfield Strait, Off Enderby Land. 104–412 m depth. Distinctions from other species. Chitonaster trangae n. sp. occurs primarily in shallow-water settings (100– 400 m). It is distinguished primarily by the presence of papulae on the disk (papulae are absent in the deep-water taxa), the larger, coarser, and more widely-spaced surface granules and/or blunt cylindrical spines. Material examined. HOLOTYPE USNM E 13585 Vahsel Bay, Coats Land, Weddell Sea, Southern Ocean. 77 ˚ 44 ’S, 35 ˚ 30 ’W, 412 m. Coll. J. Tyler (1 dry spec. R= 3. 6, r= 1.3). PARATYPES: USNM E 50555. South of Laurie Bay, South Orkney Islands. Scotia Sea. 61 ˚ 18 ’06”S, 44 ˚ 23 ’ 24 ”W, 289– 291 m. Coll. US Antarctic Research Program. (1 dry spec. R= 5.6, r= 2.3); USNM 1101456 Elephant Island, South Shetland Islands, 61 ˚03’ 22 S, 54 ˚ 42 ’ 43 W, 402 m. coll. S. Kim & Moss Landing Marine Labs (2 wet specs. R= 6.5, r= 2.7; R= 4.1, r=2.0); USNM 1121466 South of Anvers Island. 64 ˚ 50 ’ 30 ”S, 63 ˚ 15 ’W”W, 104– 146 m. Coll. D. Pawson and D.F. Squires. (1 dry spec. R= 4.1, r= 2.1); CASIZ 174667 Bransfield Strait, 62 ° 23 ' 59.9 ”S, 54 ° 28 ' 11.9 ” W, 388 m. Coll. S. Lockhart aboard RV Yuzhmorgeologiya, 1 March 2006. (1 wet spec. R= 4.7, r= 1.9). CASIZ 175987 Bransfield Strait 62 ° 38 ' 59 ” S, 55 ° 36 ' 35 ”W, 177 – 165 m. Coll. S. Lockhart and V. Smith aboard R/V ...