Goniopecten demonstrans Perrier 1881

This species is recorded from Louisiana, Florida and Texas, in the U.S.A., and Antigua and Barbados, Colombia, Dominica, French Guiana, Mexico, Panama and Suriname in the Caribbean.

In Panama this species was collected from East of Valiente Peninsula, Gulf of Mosquitos (USNM E 38634; Centroid Latitude: 9.08, Centroid Longitude: -81.30), by the R. V. Oregon, from a depth 594 m.

Clark, A.M. and M.E. Downey. (1992). Starfishes of the Atlantic. Chapman & Hall Identification Guides, 3. Chapman & Hall: London, UK. ISBN 0-412-43280-3. xxvi, 794 pp.

World Asteroidea Database

LSID urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:225710

Goniopecten demostrans Perrier, 1881

Goniopecten demonstrans Perrier, 1881a:24; Verrill, 1899:213, pl. 27

This large five-armed species has a small disc, and the moderately narrow arms taper to an acute point. The paxillar area, broad on the disc, is quite narrow on the arms. The paxillae are polygonal (many rectangular), very crowded, with short paxillar columns, and crowned with an even coating of small granules; they become progressively smaller on the arms. The large superomarginals are confined entirely to the dorsal surface (in the adult); there may be a small sharp spine on the distal edge of some of the superomarginals, but in most specimens they are smooth and without ornamentation. The long, broad inferomarginal plates form both the sides of the arms and the ventral border; they are similar to the superomarginals. Both series of marginals are bordered by a row of small webbed spinules, between which are deep fascioles that extend across the actinal surface to the mouth plates. There are no odd interradial marginals. The actinal interradial plates, plane, polygonal, and slightly imbricate, are in double rows between the fascioles and extend only to the fifth or sixth inferomarginal; they may bear a few small pricklelike spinules. There is no odd interradial series. The adambulacral plates are nearly square, slightly concave on their actinal face, and the proximal inner corner projects slightly into the groove. They bear a furrow series of about nine short, subequal spines. The actinal face of the plate is bare, save for a row of small spinules on the actinal edge. The mouth plates are raised and prominent; they stand nearly at right angles to the actinal surface. They are covered with tiny prickles and bear, at the apex, a cluster of short, stout, sharp spines. The madreporite is very large, flat, and bare, and covered with fine radiating gyri. All plates except those of the paxillar area are covered with a smooth, slippery skin.

This species occurs in the Gulf and Caribbean, in 299–470 fathoms.

MATERIAL EXAMINED.–Oregon Stations: 6696 (6) [R=104 mm, r=21 mm, Rr=1:5]; 6703 (10) [R=114 mm, r=16 mm, Rr=1:7]; 5929 (1) [R=138 mm, r=28 mm, Rr=1:5]; 4702 (1) [R=125 mm, r=25 mm, Rr=1:6]; 6697 (2) [R=108 mm, r=23 mm, Rr=1:5]; 4855 (1) [R=109 mm, r=21 mm, Rr=1:5]; 4902 (1) [R=21 mm, r=6 mm, Rr=1:4; juvenile, with superomarginal spines, small madreporite, large epiproctal cone, marginals more vertical than in adult]. Oregon II Station 10602 (1) [R=109 mm, r=22 mm, Rr=1:6]. Alaminos Stations: 8/68–A–l 3 (1) [R=137 mm, r=22 mm, Rr=1:5]; 27/69–A–11 (1) [R=133 mm, r=25 mm, Rr=1:6; 15/68–A–13 (1) [R=28 mm, r=9 mm, Rr=1:3]; 11A/68–A–7 (1) [R=8 mm, r=3 mm, Rr=1:2.5].

Prionaster Verrill

Prionaster Verrill, 1899:205. [Type, by original designation. P. elegans Verrill.]

There is only one species, Prionaster elegans Verrill, known from the Atlantic.