Ophiura palliata

F 93053.

Family - Ophiuridae.

Description

The disc is flat, 14 mm diameter. The radial shields are covered or triangular with rounded corners, contiguous distally, divergent proximally, with 1–2 plates between them; 1.1–1.4 times long as wide, and length 0.14 times d.d. The dorsal surface is covered by plates, no spines/granules, obscured by skin, with a visible diameter of 0.7–1.4 mm, overlapping; primary plates visible or not visible. Arm comb present, with papillae long pointed spiniform, 2 or more time long as wide, separated radially.

The ventral interradial surface is plated. The oral shields are exposed, pentagonal, as long as wide. 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 narrow spiniform, 3 or more times long as wide or blunt or rounded, as wide as long, usually contiguous. The jaw is wider than 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 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, 4–6 times d.d. Dorsal arm plates, contiguous, without spines/granules; oval or quadrangular, and 0.55–0.8 times long as wide. The second ventral arm plates are contiguous with the third plate, fan-shaped, and 0.5–0.7 times long as wide. Ventral arm plates of the first free segments separated, diamond (concaved edges), and 0.5–0.8 times long as wide. Tentacle pores along the arm, with several scales as a ring of many scales around the pore, reducing in number, not covering the pore or covering the pore, oval. There are 0 arm spines on the first ventral segment, 3 on the first free segments. The spines are adpressed to arm, extending laterally, subequal, and 0.25–1.25 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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