Taxonomy and phylogeny of the ‘ football stars’ (Asteroidea, Sphaerasteridae) Author Gale, Andrew Scott School of the Environment, Geography and Geological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Burnaby Building, Burnaby Road, Portsmouth PO 1 3 QL UK; & Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW 7 5 BD, UK text Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 2021 2021-10-01 19 10 691 741 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14772019.2021.1960911 journal article 293303 10.1080/14772019.2021.1960911 53749253-12aa-41cc-9eec-e28c0b075738 1478-0941 10949919 F8991F09-B5FB-40EF-B4CC-474D925085B8 Valettaster argus ( Spencer, 1907 ) ( Figs 6H–K, N, O , 7P, R , 8K, M , 22L , 23B–P ) 1850 fragment of an Oreaster Forbes in Dixon: pl. 21, fig. 16. $1907 Stauranderaster argus Spencer : 99, pl. 29, fig. 8. 1913 Tholaster argus (Spencer) ; Spencer: 138, pl 13, fig. 25. 1914 Valettaster ocellatus (Forbes) ; Valette: 60, fig. 20. 1985 Valettaster argus (Spencer) ; Breton: 91, fig. 6. Type. An individual (not figured) from the Marsupites Zone of Brighton , southern England ( NHMUK E 5109 ) is the holotype . Diagnosis. Valettaster in which the abactinal ossicles possess small external faces and bear a reticulate sculpture. Material. A well-preserved specimen from the coranguinum Zone of Micheldever, Hampshire ( NHMUK E 20294) and a partly articulated specimen from the same zone at Thanet, Kent , provide many details of the ossicles and nature of the abactinal surface ( NHMUK EE 17637). Occurrence. Valettaster argus is present in the Turonian to Campanian Chalk of the United Kingdom . Remarks. The new material provides information on the nature of the exterior surface of this species ( Fig. 23H–K ). The spaces between the large abactinal ossicles are packed with smaller, secondary ossicles of various sizes ( Fig. 23H ), creating a smooth surface made up of the exposed summits of the larger ossicles and the smaller plates ( Fig. 23 I, J ). There are spaces between the smaller ossicles, which might represent papular pores ( Fig. 23J ), or where secondary ossicles have fallen out. It is important to point out that the reconstruction of Breton (1985 , fig. 4), which shows the surface of the asteroid with a thick dermis, containing numerous small ossicles, is incorrect.