Luidia neozelanica Mortensen (Fig. 1, a, b)

Luidia neozelanica Mortensen, 1925, p. 278, pl. 12, fig. 5; Fell, 1958. p. 6; McKnight, 1967, p. 297.

Luidia sp. Benham, 1909 (a), p. 6, pl. 10, figs. 4, 5.

Material examined:

Two specimens, St. 1815 (1), 1848 (1).

Size:

R/r = 132/15 mm., breadth of arm at base 12 mm. (Sta. 1848); R/r=20/3 mm., breadth of arm at base 4 mm. (Sta. 1815).

Remarks:

The larger of the two specimens in this collection agrees well with Mortensen's (1925) description of the type; an interesting feature is the presence on the disc of distinct valvate pedicellariae (fig. a) formed by the enlarged heads of 2 or 3 of the central paxillar spines. Mortensen (1925, p. 279) mentions that "one of the central spines" (of the disc paxillae) "may be slightly elongated and more robust than the others"; this is carried a step further here where they form distinct pedicellariae. Pedicellariae of this type are not present in the slightly smaller specimen in the author's own collection. The mouth in this large specimen is full of ophiuroid plates.

The smaller specimen, damaged, almost certainly belongs in this species. It shows several interesting features: the abactinal paxillar spines (fig. b), one or 2 of which may be central and slightly enlarged, are semitransparent, flattened, and markedly spiny; there are generally only 2 inferomarginal spines, the upper spine alternating in position as in larger specimens and only 2 or 3 actinal plates are present interradially, each with one or two slender spines and no pedicellariae. It seems probable that Benham's (1909 (a), p. 6) small specimen, from off Cape Runaway, belongs in this species also.

Colour:

Larger specimen — brownish; smaller — pink-brown abactinally, white actinally.

Geographical Distribution:

North Island of New Zealand south to Marlborough, also the Chathams.

Depth Range:

55–490 m.

Type Locality:

? Hauraki Gulf or ? Bay of Plenty; 64–101 m.

Location of Type:

Dominion Museum, Wellington New Zealand (Ech. 1043, arm only).