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 More images | Distribution map | F 80853. Family - Ophiacanthidae. |
Description The disc is tumid, interradial edge incised, 13 mm diameter. The radial shields are triangular with rounded corners, contiguous distally, divergent proximally, with 1–3 plates between them; 1–1.3 times long as wide, and length 0.4 times d.d. The dorsal surface is covered by plates, bearing spines/granules, with a visible diameter of 0.2–1.2 mm, overlapping; primary plates not visible. Disc spines or granules of one type, cylindrical and pointed or conical, with thorns all over. The spines are up to 1–2.8 mm long, and 4–20 times high as wide; restricted to regions of the disc (in the centre). The ventral interradial surface is plated. The oral shields are exposed, pentagonal (concaved edges), 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 wider than long, with one or two, pointed or tapering apical papilla, as wide as long. Oral papillae are present along each jaw angle in a series, pointed 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, moniliform, 6–8 times d.d. Dorsal arm plates, contiguous, without spines/granules; quadrangular or fan-shaped, and 0.5–0.65 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, quadrangular or fan-shaped, notched or concave laterally, and 0.4–0.6 times long as wide. Tentacle pores along the arm, with one scale, not covering the pore, pointed. There are 2–3 arm spines on the first ventral segment, 5–6 on the first free segments. The spines are erect, extending around to the dorsal surface, longest dorsally, and 3–5 times as long as one arm segment, pointed, cylindrical. There are thorns, in longitudinal series on the surface from the base to the tip of the spine, all along the spine, glassy transparent 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" MUSEUMVICTORIA |