Astrothorax Doederlein, 1911

Astrothorax waitei (Benham)

• Astrotoma waitei Fell, H., 1952. Zool. Pub. Via. Univ. 18, p. 13.

Material Examined: Numerous specimens from shelf stations in Cook Strait, and also the following ones from deeper waters: 200–300 fathoms, Cook Strait, VUZ Station 51, 1 juvenile; 216 fathoms, 20 miles west of Hokitika, Westland, H. W. Wellman, 1 specimen; 150 fathoms, Cook Strait, VUZ Station 98, 4 specimens; 130 fathoms, Station 34, Chatham Is. Expedition, 1 specimen.

Remarks: The species is probably androphorous, as a number of individuals carry a much smaller individual adhering to the disc, in the same way as Mortensen (1936) has recorded for Astrochlamys bruneus Koehler.

As indicated above, this species ought to be referred to Astrothorax, a fact already pointed out by Döderlein (1927), though overlooked in subsequent records. The girdle hooklets bear one secondary tooth, whereas in Astrotoma secondary teeth are lacking.