Ophiura 2733

F 159785.

Family - Ophiuridae.

Description

The disc is flat, 10 mm diameter. The radial shields are elongated oval or triangular with rounded corners (irregular edges), separated and parallel to one another, with 1–3 plates between them; 1.5–2 times long as wide, and length 0.22 times d.d. The dorsal surface is covered by plates, no spines/granules, with a visible diameter of 0.15–0.5 mm, seperated, with distinct centrodorsdal plate or with single interradial marginal plate (interradial plate rectangular); primary plates not visible.

The ventral interradial surface is plated. The oral shields are exposed, pentagonal or arrow head shaped (pentagonal with concave lateral notches), wider than long. The adoral shields are exposed, proximal to lateral edge of oral shield, separated radially, meeting interradially. Bursal slits extend from the oral shield to the disc margin, not bordered by spines or papillae. The jaw is as wide as long, with one or two, pointed or tapering apical papilla, longer than wide, with thorns. Oral papillae are present along each jaw angle in a series, rounded or quadrangular, thorned. The oral tentacle pore is located out of the jaw on top of the ventral disc, with a ring of scales surrounding the pore.

The specimen has five arms, unbranched, moniliform, 3–5 times d.d. Dorsal arm plates, contiguous or separated, without spines/granules; bell shaped, and 0.9–1.1 times long as wide. The second ventral arm plates are contiguous with the third plate, fan-shaped, notched or concave laterally, and 0.8–1.1 times long as wide. Ventral arm plates of the first free segments separated, squashed teardrop, and 0.5–0.8 times long as wide. Tentacle pores on the first 3 segments or along the arm, with several scales as a ring of many scales around the pore, reducing in number, not covering the pore, oval. There are 1–3 arm spines on the first ventral segment, 3–4 on the first free segments. The spines are erect, extending laterally, longest dorsally, and 0.5–1.5 times as long as one arm segment, pointed or blunt, cylindrical. There are thorns, in longitudinal series on the surface from the base to the tip of the spine, all along the spine, glassy transparent shaft, with hooks. Spines also ventral spine specialised (1 hook laterally on the tip of the spine, with prominant line of thorns along one edge).

Description exported from Delta key and to be finalised when DNA sampling completed. Note species description and image characters may vary slightly in animals of different size within the same species.

Cite this publication as: "T O'Hara (2010). ‘Ophiuroids from deep sea southern Australia. Museum Victoria. Version: 1.0 http://www.museumvictoria.com.au/stars"
Information updated 5 February 2010

MUSEUMVICTORIA