Amphiura 3579

F 93155.

Family - Amphiuridae.

Description

The disc is flat, 13 mm diameter. The radial shields are D-shaped, contiguous distally, divergent proximally, with 1–3 plates between them; 3.5–4 times long as wide, and length 0.24 times d.d. The dorsal surface is covered by plates, no spines/granules, obscured by skin (thin skin cover), with a visible diameter of 0.15–0.35 mm, overlapping; primary plates visible.

The ventral interradial surface is plated. The oral shields are exposed, circular, as long as wide. The adoral shields are exposed, extending to lateral edge of oral shield, separated radially, separated interradially. Bursal slits extend from the oral shield to the disc margin, not bordered by spines or papillae. The jaw is wider than long, with two, pointed or tapering apical papilla, as wide as long. Oral papillae separated by a gap from apical papillae, pointed. The oral tentacle pore is located inside the jaw (out), with distal oral papilla enlarged, and triangular.

The specimen has five arms, unbranched, moniliform, 7–10 times d.d. Dorsal arm plates, contiguous, without spines/granules; oval or quadrangular, and 0.35–0.55 times long as wide. The second ventral arm plates are contiguous with the third plate, triangular or pentagonal, and 0.95 times long as wide. Ventral arm plates of the first free segments separated or contiguous, quadrangular or pentagonal, and 0.85–1 times long as wide. Tentacle pores along the arm, with two scales, not covering the pore, oval. There are 1–2 arm spines on the first ventral segment, 4–5 on the first free segments. The spines are erect, extending around to the dorsal surface or extending laterally, longest ventrally or longest in middle, and 0.5–2 times as long as one arm segment, pointed, cylindrical. Glassy rough shaft, with hooks (on tip of some).

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

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