Luidia hardwicki ( Gray, 1840 )

Pourvali, Naser, Aliabadi, Mohammad-Ali Salari, Salamat, Negin, Hesni, Majid Askari, Ranjbar, Mohammad Sharif, Carter, Hugh & Price, Andrew. R. G., 2025, Systematics, distribution and ecology of sea stars (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) from Iranian waters of the Persian Gulf and a revised identification key, Zootaxa 5647 (3), pp. 201-234 : 206

Luidia hardwicki ( Gray, 1840) : 183 [as Petalaster hardwicki ]

Material examined: 1 specimen (ZMSBUK-1670)

R = 48mm, r = 7mm

Description: ( Figs. 2–5 )

Five (rarely six) long, slender arms branching from a small disc; actinal surface flat, aboral surface more obviously convex; Abactinal surface covered in densely packed paxillae, smaller towards disc centre, gradually increasing in size towards margins; admarginal paxillae clearly enlarged and broadly rectangular, arranged in 3–4 longitudinal series; admarginal paxillae with up to 13 central granules and 22 peripheral ones in larger specimens madreporite inconspicuous, largely concealed by paxillae; Supero-marginal plates not distinct, body margin defined by clear infero-marginal plates. Each infero-marginal plate bears a single, large flattened, sharp primary spine flanked by several smaller secondary spines in series down the middle of the plate; terminal disc in tube feet absent, feet instead tapering to distinctive point; Abactinal surface uniform in colour, lacking marked pattern except for a conspicuous lighter spot at the end of each arm

Observations:

Intertidal to 35 m depth; in sandy and muddy areas. Recorded in the present study at Bandar Abbas, Bostaneh, Bushehr and Bandar-e Lengeh and also in Hengam, Hormuz, Larak, Qeshm, Lavan, Kish and Khark Islands.

Previously reported in the Persian Gulf: ( Clark & Rowe 1971; Basson et al. 1977; Price 1982a; Price 1983; Pourvali et al. 2014; Pourvali 2015; Adeli et al. 2022); present study.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Luidia hardwichi (ZMSBUK-1670). A. live specimen in situ; B. magnified view of dorsal disk (scale; B: 2 mm).

FIGURE 3. Luidia hardwichi (ZMSBUK-1670), A. dorsal view of arm B. ventral view of arm (scale; A&B: 2 mm)

FIGURE 4. Luidia hardwichi. (ZMSBUK-1670), A. Magnified view of dorsal arm, showing paxillae arranged in rows B. magnified view of ventral arm, showing infero-marginal plates (scale; A: 2 mm, B: 1 m).

FIGURE 5. Luidia hardwichi (ZMSBUK-1670). Magnified view of ventral disk (scale; A&B: 2 mm).