Ophiomisidium irene

F 84030.

Family - Ophiuridae.

Description

The disc is flat, 7 mm diameter. The radial shields are round or triangular with rounded corners, contiguous distally, divergent proximally, with 1 plates between them, with triangular plate separating part of the shields; 1.3–1.8 times long as wide, and length 0.23–0.27 times d.d. The dorsal surface is covered by plates, no spines/granules, with a visible diameter of 0.4–1.1 mm, overlapping or touching, with single interradial marginal plate (and plates various shapes); primary plates visible.

The ventral interradial surface is plated. The oral shields are exposed, diamond, as long as wide. The adoral shields are exposed, extending to lateral edge of oral shield, separated radially, meeting interradially. Bursal slits absent or reduced, not bordered by spines or papillae. The jaw is as wide as long or wider than long, with one, rounded apical papilla, as wide as long. Oral papillae are present along each jaw angle in a series, rounded or quadrangular. The oral tentacle pore is located inside the jaw, with distal oral papilla similar to other oral papillae.

The specimen has five arms, unbranched, basally constricted, 1–2 times d.d. Dorsal arm plates, separated, with spines/granules, clustered on the basal dorsal arm plates; oval or fan-shaped, and 0.6–0.85 times long as wide. The second ventral arm plates are contiguous with the third plate, pentagonal or hexagonal, notched or concave laterally, and 1.3–1.7 times long as wide. Ventral arm plates of the first free segments separated, fan-shaped or pentagonal or hexagonal, notched or concave laterally, and 1.1–1.5 times long as wide. Tentacle pores along the arm, with one scale, covering the pore, oval. There are 0 arm spines on the first ventral segment, 2–3 on the first free segments. The spines are adpressed to arm or erect, extending laterally, subequal, and 0.1–0.5 times as long as one arm segment, blunt, 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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