Ogmaster capella (Müller & Troschel, 1842)

Figure 27 A–E

Goniodiscus capella Müller & Troschel 1842: 61 Goniaster (Ogmaster) capella Martens 1865: 359 Dorigona reevesi Gray 1866: 7, pl. 7, fig. 3 Ogmaster capella Sladen 1889: 261; Leipoldt 1895: 649; Koehler 1910: 79; H.L. Clark 1916: 47; Fisher 1919: 262, 305;

Döderlein 1935: 101; Clark & Rowe 1971: 32 (key); Jangoux in Guille & Jangoux 1978: 53; Jangoux & Aziz 1988: 633;

A.M. Clark 1993: 267; Clark & Liao 1995: 94; Sastry 2005: 29 (checklist); Bigot et al. 2006:8 (Table 2). Stellaster septemtrionalis Imaoka et al. 1990: 69

Diagnosis. Primarily identified by having plates covered by a thin membrane, abactinal plates hexagonal (Fig. 27A, B), with numerous embedded crystalline bodies embedded in surface. Granules absent from abactinal, marginal or actinal granules. Furrow spines three to six, adambulacral plate with no other accessories, surface covered by skin (Fig. 27C)

Gut Content Observations. Individuals of this species (e.g. IE-2007-3992, 3996) from approximately 100 m depths were observed to have strongly arched disks that, with dissection of revealed coarse sand, foraminifera and echinoderm fragments (Fig. 27C). which appeared to be characteristic components of the sediment rather than remnant skeletal remains. Size was approximately 17–20 grains along a 1.0 cm line suggesting that this species exploits a much more coarse-grained sediment relative to the similar Stellaster childreni detailed herein.

Occurrence. S. China Sea to N. Australia, Bay of Bengal, Red Sea, Southwest Indian Ocean (off Reunion Island), Madagascar. 0– 147 m.

Material Examined. IE-2007-3992 Sud Cap Sainte Marie, Madagascar 26°08’S 45°04’E, 106–111 m (1 wet spec. R=6.6, r=2.3) ; IE-2007-3996 Madagascar, 25°37’S, 46°10’E, 106 m. Coll . ATIMO VATAE N/O Nosy Be II CP 3560. 3 wet specs. R=7.5, r=2,5, R=6.8, r=2.5; R=6.5, r=2.4.