Three new records of deep-water goniasterids (Echinodermata: Asteroidea: Goniasteridae) from China seas

Abstract

In this paper, three deep-water species of the family Goniasteridae, Ceramaster misakiensis (Goto, 1914), Nymphaster arthrocnemis Fisher, 1913 and Pontioceramus grandis Fisher, 1911, are recorded for the first time from Chinese waters based on collections deposited in the Marine Biological Museum, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The specimens examined were collected during the period 1956 to 1978 from the East China and South China Seas at depths of 184 to 472 m. Diagnosis, detailed figures, and the geographic distributions are provided. A revised list of Goniasteridae recorded from Chinese waters is proposed.