Amphiura magellanica

F 99686.

Family - Amphiuridae.

Description

The disc is flat, 3 mm diameter. The radial shields are elongated oval, separated and parallel to one another, with 1–2 plates between them, with triangular plate separating part of the shields; 3–5 times long as wide, and length 0.24 times d.d. The dorsal surface is covered by plates, no spines/granules, with a visible diameter of 0.05–0.2 mm, overlapping; primary plates visible.

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

The specimen has five arms, unbranched, moniliform, 6 times d.d. Dorsal arm plates, contiguous, without spines/granules; oval, and 0.75–1 times long as wide. The second ventral arm plates are contiguous with the third plate, rounded or quadrangular, and 1–1.25 times long as wide. Ventral arm plates of the first free segments separated, oval (pointed proximally), and 1–1.2 times long as wide. Tentacle pores along the arm, with one scale, covering the pore, oval. There are 2 arm spines on the first ventral segment, 4–5 on the first free segments. The spines are erect, extending laterally, subequal, and 1–1.5 times as long as one arm segment, pointed or blunt, cylindrical. There are thorns, glassy rough shaft.

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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