New Taxa and Occurrences of Mesophotic and Deep-sea Goniasteridae (Valvatida, Asteroidea) from Okinawa and adjacent regions Author Mah, Christopher L. 0000-0002-0178-8237 Department of Invertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C. USA Author Kogure, Yoichi 0009-0009-9935-8208 Fisheries Resources Institute, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, 1 - 5939 - 22 Suido-cho, Chuo, Niigata, Niigata 951 - 8121, Japan kogure_yoichi52@fra.go.jp Author Fujita, Toshihiko 0000-0003-0334-1794 Department of Zoology, National Museum of Nature and Science, 4 - 1 - 1 Amakubo, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305 - 0005, Japan fujita@kahaku.go.jp Author Higashiji, Takuo 0009-0004-2557-0023 Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, 424 Ishikawa, Motobu, Okinawa 905 - 0206, Japan t-higashiji@okichura.jp text Zootaxa 2024 2024-01-18 5403 1 1 41 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5403.1.1 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.5403.1.1 1175-5326 10561570 A9E9D993-74C3-49CC-9202-DB1132EEF113 Neoferdina antigorum Mah, 2017 FIGURE 11A–E Mah 2018: 44 Diagnosis This species is characterized by the presence of very few to absent strongly convex, bald abactinal plates but with a distinct round, bald patch on each superomarginal plate ( Figs.11A–C ), which forms a regular, homogeneous series along the arm ( Fig. 11C ). A continuous granular tegument covers most of the body surface, including abactinal, marginal and actinal plates ( Figs 11B, D–E ). Abactinal plates are mostly homogeneous ( Fig. 11A–B ). This species has a minority of convex abactinal plates with bare patches and spinelets on distalmost inferomarginal plates ( Fig. 11A–B ), bald patches absent from the proximalmost inferomarginal plates ( Fig. 11A ). Comments Neoferdina antigorum was described from mesophotic depths in the Philippines ( Mah 2017 ) and further specimens from mesophotic settings, as reported herein, suggest that it may be widespread across the tropical Pacific. This species has not been recorded above the mosphotic zone. Occurrence Okinawa , Japan , 46– 53 m . Outside Japan . Philippines , 80– 200 m . Material Examined USNM E45964 3km WSW of Yuhi Misaki , Okinawa Island , Ryukyu Islands , 26.8467 127.253 , 52–53 m . Coll. RF Bolland , 14 Nov 1987 , 1 dry spec. R=1.7 r=0.6. USNM 1579916 1 km WNW of Onna Village , Horseshoe Cliffs , Okinawa Island , Ryukyu Islands , 26.5 127.848, 46–52 m . Coll. R.F. Bolland , 8 Feb 1990 . 1 wet spec. R=1.4 r=0.4.