Stalked crinoids from Tasmanian seamounts. Part 1: Hyocrinidae

Abstract

Faunal investigations conducted in 1997 on southern Tasmania seamounts, produced 10 specimens of stalked crinoids belonging to the family Hyocrinidae. These are the first hyocrinids to be recorded from this area. Three new species are described: Feracrinus koslowi sp. nov., Ptilocrinus tasmaniaensis sp. nov. and Ptilocrinus australis sp. nov. New data show that three previously described species should be referred to a single species Feracrinus aculeatus Mironov and Sorokina, 1998 and the genus Camaecrinus Mironov and Sorokina, 1998 becomes a junior synonym of Feracrinus. Although they have close affinities, the two species belonging to the genus Feracrinus live in different areas of the western Pacific. Ptilocrinus tasmaniaensis sp. nov. and P. australis sp nov. are the shallowest known species in the genus Ptilocrinus (sensu stricto). There is no evidence of endemism in hyocrinids living on south Tasmania seamounts. © 2010 Taylor & Francis.