Corresponding author: Tania Pineda-Enríquez (
Academic editor: Yves Samyn
Species of
As part of a program since 1999 to sample the coast of Peru in order to discover new or previously unreported echinoderm species, different localities have been sampled along the coastline and adjacent islands (from littoral to 30 m depth). At Lobos de Afuera Islands, Lambayeque, Peru (
Peruvian echinoderms are represented by 215 species:
Samples were taken by SCUBA in the intertidal zone at Lobos de Afuera Island, Lambayeque, Peru ( : disc diameter : arm length : arm width
Collecting sites of
Only 13 specimens of the new species of
(modified from
There are six known species of the genus reported for the eastern and southern Pacific in addition to the new species described here.
Holotype, CZA-363, Lobos de Afuera Island, Peru,
Peru: Lobos de Afuera Island,
Paratype, CZA-364, Lobos de Afuera Island, Peru,
Disc pentagonal, elevated and covered with dense granules that are somewhat rounded or polygonal, but more or less dispersed. The radial shields can be completely covered by the granules or scarcely covered. The dorsal arm plates are fragmented; in addition there are some smaller and tiny fragments that resembles granules of the dorsal disc, only visible on the proximal plates (not evident in all the arm segments). Nine or ten flattened and elongated oral papillae. Granules also cover the adoral shields. Ten arm spines, the ventral is the largest, reaching the next tentacle scale.
CZA-363: disc diameter 36.3 mm, arm length 120.6 mm, arm width 7.6 mm (
Only known from the coast of Peru. Lobos de Afuera Island, Lambayeque, Peru; intertidal (type locality); Quebrada Verde, El Ñuro, Peru, 9 m;
Named after the type locality.
The new species is distinguishable by its thick and rounded granules on the disc, the number of fragments of the dorsal arm plates, which can be more than six with other smaller fragments. The distal border of the dorsal arm plates, from the base to the middle part of the arm, supports some granules similar to those on the dorsal part of the disc.
In Peruvian waters,
1 | Radial shields either naked or covered by granules, disc and dorsal side of the arms mottled | 2 |
– | Radial shields always naked, disc and dorsal side of the arm not mottled | 6 |
2 | Dorsal arm plates fragmented | 3 |
– | Dorsal arm plates not fragmented | 5 |
3 | Nine to ten arm spines, the ventral-most thicker than long, somewhat flat; oral shields triangular-shaped; adoral shields covered by granules; tentacle scales subequal, oval-shaped | |
– | The pair of tentacle scales are of different size | 4 |
4 | Nine arm spines, the ventralmost is the largest and pointed; oral shields slightly pentagonal in shape, the adoral shields covered by granules; the dorsal arm plates are fragmented into two or three pieces; disc granules are somewhat more scattered oval-shape; radial shields covered by granules; the abradial tentacle scale is longer than wide | |
– | Ten arm spines, the ventralmost longest; oral shields triangular; adoral shields covered by granules, dorsal arm plates completely fragmented (more than six pieces), disc granules oval-shaped, densely placed; radial shields naked or covered by granules; the abradial tentacle scale is two times longer than wide | |
5 | Arms three times disc diameter; oral shields oval-shaped, longer than wide; adoral shield naked; eight arm spines | |
– | Arms five times disc diameter; radial shields covered in granules; oral shields pentagonal; adoral shields naked; five short arm spines half the length of the arm segment, the ventral-most is wider than long | |
6 | Dorsal arm plates not fragmented; arms three times disc diameter; radial shields completely naked; oral shields wider than long; adoral shields covered by granules; eight arm spines | |
– | Dorsal arm plates fragmented into three pieces; disc granules flattened; radial shields convex and naked; oral shields pentagonal; adoral shields covered by granules; seven arm spines |
The new species clearly belongs to the genus
Presently 28 valid species and two highly doubtful species (
In the Indian Ocean
In the Pacific Ocean there are seven species, from California, USA to the coast of Chile:
Only one species of fossil
To Servicio Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas (SERNANP), Instituto del Mar del Perú (IMARPE) and “Empresa Administradora del Guano” (PROABONOS) for the facilities during the fieldwork. We want to thank to T. O’Hara (MV) and J. Velez-Juarbe (FLMNH) for their comments of an early version of this manuscript. We are also thankful to the reviewers for their helpful comments and suggestions. Finally to MSc. Alicia Durán González for her technical support and to MSc. A. Caballero-Ochoa (ICML-UNAM) who prepared