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Title: A review of the genus Narcissia Gray, 1840 (Echinodermata: Asteroidea: Ophidiasteridae)
Abstract Since the taxonomic revision of the Ophidiasteridae by H.L. Clark (1921), in which 20 genera were recognized as valid, several new genera and species were included in this family, and the boundaries between some of them became largely arbitrary. This also applies toNarcissiaGray, 1840, whose morphology and taxonomy are still very poorly understood today. The main goals of this research were: review the taxonomy of the genusNarcissia, from morphological studies; redescribeN.trigonariaSladen, 1889s.str.; characterizeN.canariensis(d'Orbigny, 1839) andN.gracilisA.H. Clark, 1916, the two valid species most similar toN.trigonaria; review the validity ofN.ahearnaePawson, 2007 andN.trigonariavar.helenaeMortensen, 1933; review the validity ofN.gracilis malpeloensisDowney, 1975. Altogether 370 specimens were analysed. All morphological structures of taxonomic importance have been illustrated, and, for the first time, the internal characters of this group were studied, from electron microscopy and microtomography. A new diagnosis for the genusNarcissiawas constructed.Narcissia trigonariawas redescribed from a large specimen, from the type locality (Bahia, Brazil).Narcissia ahearnaeis considered a valid species, andN.canariensisandN.trigonariadistinct entities.Narcissia trigonariavar.helenaeis placed in the synonymy ofN.trigonaria, andN.gracilis malpeloensisinto the synonymy ofN.gracilis. The dataset obtained in this work is by far the most complete acquired for the genusNarcissia.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2001540
PAR ID:
10676248
Author(s) / Creator(s):
;
Publisher / Repository:
Cambridge University Press
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom
Volume:
101
Issue:
6
ISSN:
0025-3154
Page Range / eLocation ID:
871 to 893
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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