Phanogenia gracilis (Hartlaub)

Sastry, D. R. K., Marimuthu, N. & Rajan, Rajkumar, 2019, Echinodermata of Lakshadweep, Arabian Sea with the description of a new genus and a species, Records of the Zoological Survey of India 119 (4) : -

Phanogenia gracilis (Hartlaub)

(Pl. II. Fig. b)

1890. Actinometra gracilis Hartlaub. Nachr. Ges. Gottingen Mai. 1890: 187

1971. Comaster gracilis : Clark, A.M. and Rowe, F.W.E. Monograph of Shallow-water Indo-west Pacific echinoderms, p. 16 (key), p. 6-7 (Distribution).

2007. Comaster gracilis : Sastry, D.R.K. Rec. zool. Surv. India. Occ. Paper No. 271: 7

2019. Phanogenia gracilis : Messing, C. WoRMS

Material: AG-1&1A. Dt. 03.02.2018. One spec. AGNN18-

47. Dt. 20.11.2018. One spec. AGSN18-38. Dt. 19.11.2018. One spec. BWN18-51, 52. Dt. 20.11.2018. Two specs. B-34. Dt. 04.02.2018. One spec. BW-21 . Dt. 05.02.2018. One spec. KA-58 . Dt. 17.02.2018. One spec. KA-59 . Dt. 17.02.2018. One spec. KA-8 . Dt. 13.02.2018. One spec. KA/KP.? Two specs. KV-12 . Dt. 10.02.2018. One spec. KV. Dt. 10.02.2018. One spec. KV. Dt. 08.02.2018. One spec.

Description: Arms very crowded numbering up to 90, up to 150 mm long. Distal portion of proximal pinnules comb like. Division series up to VIBr, IIBr with 4 ossicles, others with 2 or 4. Some division series alternating with arms on inner or external side. Centrodorsal pentagonal or star-shaped without radial clefts. First brachial syzygy at 1+2. First brachial pinnule on 2nd arm segment, long and slender. Pinnules of division series very long and slender. Cirri absent or up to 10 very short, rudimentary and slender with up to 4 segments. P 1 on second brachial segment.

Distribution: Lakshadweep and Andaman Islands. Elsewhere: Maldives, Bay of Bengal, East Indies, South China Sea and South Pacific Islands. The species is recorded here for the first time from Lakshadweep.