Ophiocten cryptum

F 146299.

Family - Ophiuridae.

Description

The disc is flat, 8 mm diameter. The radial shields are round or triangular with rounded corners, separated and parallel to one another, with 1–2 plates between them, with triangular plate separating part of the shields; 1–2 times long as wide, and length 0.23 times d.d. The dorsal surface is covered by plates, no spines/granules, with a visible diameter of 0.2–1.5 mm, overlapping or touching, with single interradial marginal plate; primary plates not visible.

The ventral interradial surface is plated. The oral shields are exposed, teardrop or fan shaped, wider than long. The adoral shields are exposed, extending 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. Oral papillae are present along each jaw angle in a series, pointed. 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, 4–6 times d.d. Dorsal arm plates, contiguous, without spines/granules; fan-shaped, and 1–1.1 times long as wide. The second ventral arm plates are contiguous with the third plate, fan-shaped (or teardrop), and 0.8–0.9 times long as wide. Ventral arm plates of the first free segments contiguous, squashed teardrop, and 0.6–0.8 times long as wide. Tentacle pores along the arm, with one scale, not covering the pore or covering the pore, oval. There are 0–3 arm spines on the first ventral segment, 5–6 on the first free segments. The spines are erect, extending laterally, subequal, and 0.5–1.5 times as long as one arm segment, pointed, cylindrical. 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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