Ophiura ooplax

F 111509, 111498.

Family - Ophiuridae.

Description

The disc is flat, 8 mm diameter. The radial shields are triangular with rounded corners (rounded distal edge), contiguous distally, divergent proximally, with 1–2 plates between them; 1.8–2.1 times long as wide, and length 0.33 times d.d. The dorsal surface is covered by plates, no spines/granules, with a visible diameter of 0.2–0.7 mm, overlapping; primary plates visible. Arm comb present, with papillae short pointed, as wide as long, separated radially.

The ventral interradial surface is plated. The oral shields are exposed, pentagonal (notched lateral edges, convex distal edge, concaved proximal edges forming point), wider than long. The adoral shields are exposed, proximal to lateral edge of oral shield, separated radially, meeting interradially. Bursal slits extend from the oral shield to the disc margin, bordered by spines or papillae, pointed short, as wide as long. The jaw is wider than long, with one, pointed or tapering apical papilla, longer than wide. Oral papillae are present along each jaw angle in a series, pointed or quadrangular. 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 or basally constricted, 2–4 times d.d. Dorsal arm plates, separated, without spines/granules; fan-shaped (some notched laterally), and 1–1.9 times long as wide. The second ventral arm plates are contiguous with the third plate, diamond, and 0.9–1.1 times long as wide. Ventral arm plates of the first free segments separated, diamond (concaved edges), and 0.6–0.75 times long as wide. Tentacle pores on the first 3 segments or along the arm, with several scales as a ring of many scales around the pore, reducing in number, covering the pore, oval. There are 1–2 arm spines on the first ventral segment, 3 on the first free segments. The spines are erect, extending around to the dorsal surface or extending laterally, longest dorsally, 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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