Henricia leviuscula spiculifera ( H.L.Clark, 1901 )

Xiao, Ning, Liao, Yulin & Liu, Ruiyu, 2011, Records of the genus Henricia Gray, 1840 (Echinodermata: Asteroidea: Echinasteridae) from Chinese waters, Zootaxa 3115, pp. 1-20 : 12

Henricia leviuscula spiculifera ( H.L.Clark, 1901)

Figures 8 A–F, 12C

Cribrella spiculifera H.L.Clark, 1901: 328 , pl. 2.

Henricia leviuscula multispina Fisher, 1910: 571 ; 1911: 286, pl. 72, figs 1–4, pl. 73, figs 1,2.— Chang, 1948: 41, pl. 4, figs 3, 4, pl. 5, figs 3, 4.

Henricia leviuscula var. multispina Verrill, 1914: 222 .— Uchida, 1928: 793, pl. 32, figs 2, 3.

Henricia spiculifera Fisher, 1911: 295 .— Djakonov, 1950: 95, pl. 55, 56, 65, 66. — Chang et al., 1964: 65. — Xu, 1994: 637.— Liao & Sun, 1996: 466, fig. 18–16.— Liao, 2008: 852.

Henricia leviuscula spiculifera Verrill, 1914: 220 , pl.87, figs 2–2b, pl. 107, fig. 3.— Fisher, 1930: 195.— Hayashi, 1940: 130, pl. 9, figs 3, 4.— Hayashi, 1973: 76, pl. 12, fig. 6.

Material examined. Bohai Sea. One (R 24– 23 mm, r 5.8 mm, R: r 4.1–4.0), MBM016345, CN H216B-27, Stn. 1098, 38°40ʹN, 121°10ʹE, 51.5m, muddy sand and gravel, AT, coll. CHEN, 17 Jul 1959.

Ye l lo w S e a. One (R 42– 30 mm, r 10.0 mm, R: r 4.2–3.0), MBM016344, CN 88-31, Stn. 2008, 38°29ʹN, 121°41ʹE, 54m, brown muddy sand, BT, 4 Feb 1959; Two (R 41– 36 mm, r 7.9 mm, R: r 5.2–4.6; R 24– 20 mm, r 5.3 mm, R: r 4.5–3.8), MBM016349, CN H289B-23, Stn. 2023, 38°36ʹN, 122°00ʹE, 50m, brown soft mud, AT, coll. JIANG, 21 Oct 1959; One (R 65– 60 mm, r 14.1 mm, R: r 4.9–4.3), Dry specimen, Yantai, 1937; One (R 17– 15 mm, r 3.9 mm, R: r 4.4–3.8), Dry specimen, CN 56-434, Haiyang Island, E Dalian, 27 Sep 1956; Two (R 44– 38 mm, r 10.5 mm, R: r 4.2–3.5; R 17– 15 mm, r 4.6 mm, R: r 3.7–3.3), Dry specimens, CN Y377B-24, Stn. 3003, 37°15ʹN, 123°18ʹE, 18 Dec 1962; One (R 39– 37 mm, r 9.1 mm, R: r 4.3–4.1), Dry specimen, CN Y358B-26, Stn. 2064, 37°30ʹN, 123°30ʹE, 67m, fine sand, AT, coll. CHEN, 17 Oct 1959; One (R 50– 46 mm, r 9.2 mm, R: r 5.4–5.0), Dry specimen, CN M157B-4, Stn. 2065, 37°30ʹN, 124°03ʹE, 71.3m, fine sand and gravel, BT, coll. CHEN, 8 Jul 1959.

Distribution. Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, Bering, Okhotsk, Japan Sea, Oregon, Washington, 9– 680 m.

Remarks. The general form of Henricia leviuscula spiculifera is very similar to that of Henricia leviuscula leviuscula . The differences are the following: the abactinal plates are usually smaller and more numerous; the abactinal spinelets ( Fig. 8 C, 12C) are very numerous, delicate, longer than in H. leviuscula leviuscula , looking like the surface covered with fluff, not granuliform as in H. leviuscula leviuscula ; the subadambulacral plates are with numerous spines. According to Fisher’s (1911) description, the intermarginal areas of H. leviuscula spiculifera are variable. Sometimes intermarginal plates are confined to a small triangular space at base of arm and sometimes extend halfway along arm as a regular series. Our specimens are in accord with Fisher’s specimens in the intermarginal area. In two specimens (MBM016344/R 42– 30 mm; MBM016349/R 41– 36 mm) intermarginal plates connected longitudinally with each other by small rod-like plates ( Fig. 8 F) were observed.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Henricia leviuscula spiculifera (H. L. Clark). A, abactinal view; B, actinal view; C, abactinal ray showing the numerous and delicate abactinal spinelets; D, actinal ray; E, cleared abactinal ray showing compact meshwork; F, cleared actinal ray (MBM 016349 / R 41 – 36 mm). Note small rod-like plates.