Luidia hardwicki

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.