Timea unistellata Topsent 1892

Timea cf. unistellata (Topsent, 1892)

(Figure 28)

Synonymy and references. Timea unistellata (Topsent, 1892): Pulitzer-Finali (1986): 101, fig. 26; Cruz (2002): 116 (with two unnumbered figures).

Material. USNM 1228991, Carrie Bow Cay East, reef crest, underside of platy coral rubble, 0.5 m; K. Ruetzler col. 26 Apr 1974.

External morphology. Thin, small crust (2 cm 2) without apparent openings. Firm consistency, dull orange color in life, grayish brown in alcohol.

Skeleton structure. Tylostyles in bundles, erect on the substratum, some of the points protruding beyond the surface. Euasters packed in the ectosome.

Spicules. Slim tylostyles, straight, with small, rounded heads: 240–557 x 4–8 (423 x 7) Μm; spheroxyasters with broad-based, microspined rays (centrum 40–50% of total diameter): 9–18 (14) µm.

Ecology. Cryptic, under coral rubble, 1 m.

Distribution. Mediterranean, Northeast Atlantic, Canary Islands.

Comments. Although Pulitzer-Finali (1986) describes Timea unistellata from the Dominican Republic, we believe that his as well as our records of this Mediterranean-East Atlantic species are of a different albeit quite similar taxon. More material will have to be studied to determine useful morphological details for taxonomic characterization.