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Asteroschema salix

F 93073.

Family - Asteroschematidae.



Description

The disc is flat, 7 mm diameter. The radial shields are narrow, straight-sided, separated and parallel to one another; 3.1 times long as wide, and length 0.35 times d.d. The dorsal surface is covered by skin; primary plates not visible.

The ventral interradial surface is with skin. The oral shields are covered in skin. The adoral shields are covered in skin. Bursal slits reduced, not bordered by spines or papillae. The jaw is longer than wide, with one (partially covered or obscurred by skin), pointed or tapering apical papilla, as wide as long. Oral papillae absent. The oral tentacle pore is located out of the jaw on top of the ventral disc, with no scales.

The specimen has five arms, unbranched, moniliform, 9–11 times d.d. Dorsal arm plates not visible, covered by skin, without spines/granules. The second ventral arm plates are not visible. Ventral arm plates of the first free segments not visible, covered. Tentacle pores along the arm, with no scales. There are 0 arm spines on the first ventral segment, 2 on the first free segments. The spines are erect, restriced to the ventral surface, subequal, and 0.5–1.5 times as long as one arm segment, blunt, cylindrical. There are thorns, in longitudinal series on the surface from the base to the tip of the spine, on the tip or on the middle, glassy transparent shaft or glassy rough shaft, with hooks. Spines also skin partially (at base) or completely covering spine.

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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