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More images | Distribution map | F 80880. Family - Ophiuridae. |
Description The disc is flat (arms inserted), 27 mm diameter. The radial shields are triangular with rounded corners (with rounded distal edge), separated and parallel to one another, with 2–4 plates between them; 1.4–1.6 times long as wide, and length 0.25 times d.d. The dorsal surface is covered by plates, no spines/granules, with a visible diameter of 0.3–1.5 mm, overlapping or touching; primary plates not visible. The ventral interradial surface is plated. The oral shields are exposed, triangular or bell shaped or pear-shaped, longer than wide. The adoral shields are exposed, extending to lateral edge of oral shield, separated radially, separated interradially. Bursal slits reduced, bordered by spines or papillae, blunt or rounded, as wide as long, usually contiguous. The jaw is as wide as long or wider than long, with one, pointed or tapering apical papilla, as wide as long. Oral papillae are present along each jaw angle in a series, quadrangular. The oral tentacle pore is located inside the jaw, with distal oral papilla enlarged, and quadrangular. The specimen has five arms, unbranched, moniliform. Dorsal arm plates, contiguous becoming separate, without spines/granules; diamond or fan-shaped, and 0.85–1.25 times long as wide. The second ventral arm plates are separated from the third plate, triangular or fan-shaped, and 0.8–1.1 times long as wide. Ventral arm plates of the first free segments separated, fan-shaped, and 0.8–0.9 times long as wide. Tentacle pores on the first 3 segments, with several scales as a ring of many scales around the pore, reducing in number, not covering the pore, quadrangular or oval. There are 0 arm spines on the first ventral segment, 5–6 on the first free segments. The spines are adpressed to arm, extending laterally, subequal, and 0.1 times as long as one arm segment, blunt, cylindrical.
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" MUSEUMVICTORIA |