New occurrences and a new genus and species of ‘Toothless’ Odontasteridae (Asteroidea) from Australian waters

WA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 5 months ago

ABSTRACT – Odontasteridae (Asteroidea) are important members of Antarctic faunas. Less well-known are odontasterid species present outside of high-latitudes, which occur primarily in the deep-sea. Multiple new odontasterids were identified from deep-sea settings in Australian waters, including a new genus and species, Marshastra loisetteae gen. nov. sp. nov., from the shelf off Western Australia, and Hoplaster oloughlini sp. nov. from Tasmania and the south Pacific region. A phylogeny of Hoplaster suggests diversification from a Southern Hemisphere setting into the Atlantic and northward as well as across Tasmanian seamounts, indicating diversification into deep-sea habitats from shallower waters.