Haccourtaster berryensis Gale & Jagt, 2025, sp. nov.

Haccourtaster berryensis sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: D71A59CE-ABD9-4469-92CE-0D39455B15A3 Fig. 1G–I 1987a Metopaster thoracifer (Geinitz, 1872): Gale, p. 37, text-fig. 12. Type material. Associated ossicles from a single individual, including 14 superomarginals and 6 inferomarginals, from the lower Turonian chalk at Berry Cliff, Branscombe (Devon, UK) (NHMUK PI EE 18203). Diagnosis. A small Haccourtaster (R = 4–5 mm) in which the trapezoidal median superomarginals narrow towards the lateral border. Central regions of marginals sharply demarcated from a narrow, depressed rim. Median superomarginals carry a row of centrally placed large granule pits; inferomarginals smooth. Description. The median superomarginals (Fig. 1G, I) are trapezoidal and narrow towards the lateral margin; the breadth is approximately twice the length. The slightly convex central area is sharply demarcated from a narrow, depressed rim. The median superomarginals bear a single, median row of granule pits and a few scattered pits towards the inner margin. The ultimate superomarginals (Fig. 1G) are equilaterally triangular, gently tumid and the lateral margin is convex. A group of 4–5 granule pits are present on the lateral-distal margin. The median inferomarginals (Fig. 1H, I) are rectangular and slightly broader than the corresponding superomarginal (Fig. 1I). They possess a narrow, depressed margin and entirely lack granule pits. The distal inferomarginals (Fig. 1H) have the outline of right triangles in actinal view and correspond precisely with the enlarged ultimate superomarginals. Large intramarginal cavities are present (Fig. 1I). Remarks. Haccourtaster berryensis sp. nov. differs from all other species of the genus in its possession of trapezoidal superomarginals bearing very sparse granule pits.Although the holotype specimen might be an immature individual, it differs significantly in morphology from material of H. hrbac of similar dimensions (compare Fig. 1G with Fig. 1J). In small H. hrbac, the superomarginals are nearly square in abactinal view, whereas they are proportionately broad and trapezoidal in H. berryensis sp. nov. The succession at Berry Cliff, 2 km west of Branscombe Mouth in Devon was described by Rowe (1904, p. 26), who found chalks containing abundant asteroid ossicles and cidarid echinoid debris, which he ascribed to the zone of Rhynchonella cuvieri (= Mytiloides mytiloides inoceramid Zone, lower Turonian). The asteroids include numerous ossicles of Metopaster thoracifer (see Spencer, 1913), and evidently characterise a shallower environment than that represented elsewhere in southern England. The locality lies 4 km east of the western margin of preserved Turonian chalks in the United Kingdom.