Deep-Sea Echinoderms of New Zealand
Persephonaster Alcock, 1891 — Persephonaster neozelanicus Mortensen
Persephonaster Alcock, 1891
Persephonaster neozelanicus Mortensen
- Mortensen, Th. 1925. Vid. Medd. dansk. naturh. For., 79, p. 415, Fig. 70.
Material Examined: Five specimens from the following archibenthal stations—155 fathoms, Station 40, Chatham Islands 1954 Exped., 2 specimens; 150 fathoms, Cook Strait, VUZ Station 98, 2 specimens; 100 fathoms, Mernoo Bank, Station 1, Chatham Islands Expedition, 1 specimen.
Remarks: The species is very common on the Cook Strait continental shelf, from 40 fathoms and deeper (see Fell, 1952), but has not hitherto been taken in deep water. It would appear to be a typical shelf species which occasionally lives on the upper fringe of the continental slope. It seems unlikely that the species will be found in the abyssal fauna.