Bathyceramaster Mah, 2016

Bathyceramaster Mah, 2016 View in CoL .

Mah 2016: 105; 2022: 31

Diagnosis (modified from Mah, 2016). Abactinal plates tabulate, low to moderate in height with fasciolar grooves, variably shallow to well-developed plates lacking stellate bases. Abactinal, marginal, actinal surfaces covered by densely arranged polygonal to round granules. Bald patch on marginal plates present on a minority of taxa, absent on most. Body stellate, many species with well-developed arms (R/ r = 1.8–4.0).

Comments. Bathyceramaster was designated to accommodate “ Mediaster” elegans , which lacked the characteristic radiating internal processes present at the base of its abactinal plates that defined typological Mediaster ( Mah 2016) . Ceramaster is similar to Mediaster , but the species in question, “ Mediaster ” elegans , lacked characters consistent with typological Ceramaster species (i.e. C. granularis and related). Ultimately, the designation of Bathyceramaster not only accommodated “ Mediaster ” elegans , but also came to include six other species, which are also present primarily in deep-sea settings (greater than 1000 m).

Morphology in Bathyceramaster is, for goniasterids, very generalised, including abutted polygonal to round abactinal plates, fasciolar grooves present primarily around papular regions, widespread granular coverings on the abactinal, marginal and actinal surface, and weak stellate to stellate body shape.

Bathyceramaster species, including single species such as Bathyceramaster teres occur widely and have so far, been recorded from the Atlantic, Pacific, and now the Indian Ocean.